Swami Darshan Bharti, the founder of "Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan" which had allegedly pasted threatening posters on shops run by Muslims in the communally tense Purola, on Friday claimed that he has received a death threat.
He claimed that he received the letter threatening to behead him and rewarding the person who does it with Rs 5 crore on June 14. The letter was in a paper bag with stones in it and thrown on the premises of his residence, Bharti claimed.
The letter has been handed over to the police, he said.
Meanwhile, a case under IPC section 153 (a) (wanton vilification or attacks upon religion), 505 (1) (c) (inciting one community against another) and 506 (threat to cause death or grievous hurt) has been registered against Bharti at Barkot police station in connection with the pasting of posters in Purola bazaar.
Bharti has been asked to record his statement at the police station on June 25. He has been asked to cooperate in the investigation and not destroy any evidence, Inspector in-charge Gajendra Bahuguna said.
Markets in Uttarakhand's Purola and neighbouring towns remained closed amid heavy police deployment on Thursday in protest against the imposition of prohibitory orders to prevent a "mahapanchayat" that was scheduled to be held there over alleged incidents of "love jihad".
The police were deployed in large numbers in Uttarkashi district's Purola where tension has been brewing for over a fortnight since an alleged attempt by two men, including a Muslim, to abduct a minor girl.
The alleged bid to abduct the girl on May 26 was foiled by locals following which, threatening posters appeared on the shutters of shops owned by members of the minority community in Purola asking them to leave the town immediately.
The posters pasted by Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan had asked "love jihadis" to leave Purola before a mahapanchayat was held there on June 15 or face consequences. However, the call for the mahapanchayat was later withdrawn under the pressure of district administration.
Bharti, however, denied that the mahapanchayat has been cancelled. "It has just been deferred. The mahapanchayat will be held. The fight against love jihadis will continue," he claimed.
"Love jihad" is a term often used by right-wing outfits to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad's national president Mahant Ravindra Puri demanded action against those who had threatened to behead Bharti and said the seers are with him.
"We all are with him. Bharti has not just fought against love jihad he has fought many battles in the interest of Uttarakhand. People behind the threat should be identified and punished," Puri said.
