“There is no god but Allah, and none is worthy of worship except Him”: Ghaziabad cop Sohail Khan’s video inside a temple sparks outrage, faces inquiry

A constable of police in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh has landed in trouble after a video of his WhatsApp status went viral and sparked protests by Hindu groups. The Ghaziabad Police opened an investigation into the matter after public outcry on social media and then benched the constable.

As per media reports, the constable, Sohail Khan, who was stationed at Madhuban Bapudham police station, had visited a temple on Janmashtami. There, he clicked a selfie and upload it as his WhatsApp status. 

The picture itself wasn’t that of concern, but the background song he used for it led to outrage. The track had the line which stated that “no one except Allah is worthy of worship.”

Within days of the status going viral online, it was widely shared and criticised, particularly by some Hindu organisations. Numerous activists asserted that Khan’s status was an effort to defame religious sentiments. 

President of Hindu Raksha Dal Pinky Chaudhary went so far as to state on X (formerly Twitter) that the constable was employing his police attire to spread Islam and provoke religious conversions.

As the outrage grew, several users mentioned the Ghaziabad Police on social media, calling for stringent action. When reacting to the outrage, the police confirmed that the issue was being investigated.

Further CP Alok Priyadarshi later added that the inquiry was entrusted with the ACP of Kavinagar. According to findings, Constable Khan was benched (shifted from active duty), and a departmental inquiry has also been ordered.

The event has again pointed out how individual social media messages by uniformed men can make huge controversies, particularly if they are associated with religious sensitivities.

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