A viral post on social media platform X has falsely claimed that Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and her family were attacked in Belagavi by RSS members — an allegation that Belagavi police have confirmed as entirely fabricated.
The misinformation, spread by a user named Anees Uddin, alleged that Col Qureshi and her son were assaulted, their house burned, and anti-Muslim slogans were raised in Gokak taluk, Belagavi district. Another post by user @JN_Araain claimed the family had been moved to Delhi under Army protection after a brutal attack, using hashtags like #RSSViolence and #JusticeForSophia.
Belagavi Superintendent of Police Dr. Bhimashankar Guled and Additional SP SN Shruti have both dismissed the claims as fake news. “This is false. The users behind the posts are not based in India, and efforts are on to trace them,” said Shruti. Police also confirmed that security has been provided to the family, and an investigation is underway.
The false posts also suggested that Colonel Qureshi was on an RSS hit list. Another handle, @BattlesInsight, repeated the same claims, adding that her home was torched and threats were issued.
As a precaution, security was deployed at the home of Col Qureshi’s father-in-law, Gausasab Bagewadi, in Konnur village. Gokak Circle Inspector Suresh RB also visited the residence to monitor the situation. Police have asked the family to avoid unnecessary public interaction during the ongoing probe.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a senior officer in the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, came into the limelight during Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror strike. She represented the Army during the official briefing, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri — a landmark moment featuring two women officers in key roles.
She is married to Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi. Her family in Konnur expressed pride in her accomplishments, with her father-in-law stating, “We were proud to see her confidently addressing the nation during the briefing.”
