Delhi Police Provides Security to Nupur Sharma After Alleged Death Threats

Nupur Sharma had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.

Suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Nupur Sharma)

The Delhi Police has provided security to suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her family. This comes after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, officials said on Tuesday, 7 June.

She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.

The FIR was lodged under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 506 (criminal intimidation), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) against unknown persons under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The police said on 28 May that Sharma had filed a complaint at the cyber cell unit against persons who had allegedly issued death threats against her.

What Had Happened?

The BJP on Sunday suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from several Islamic nations.

Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.

Sharma's comments, made during a TV debate nearly 10 days ago, and Jindal's now-deleted tweets sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.

After the action, Sharma unconditionally withdrew her controversial statement and claimed that her comments were a reaction to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva)”.

(With inputs from PTI.)