STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A Uttar Pradesh man identifying himself as Aditya Bajirao Mishra, who claimed to be a district president of the Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD), has released a video statement claiming that he repeatedly tried to persuade Gauhati University student Nimisha Thakuria to distance herself from Ashik Ali.
Mishra claimed that he first contacted Nimisha through messages around one-and-a-half years ago after one of her friends informed him about her relationship. He said he had repeatedly tried to counsel her and had also warned Ashik over the phone.
"I had tried several times to counsel Nimisha. I had asked her to stay away from Ashik and had also warned her of serious consequences," Mishra said.
He claimed Nimisha had responded that if Ashik killed her, he would kill only her and not those who had warned her. "I am the same person with whom Nimisha's SMS screenshots that have gone viral are being circulated," Mishra said.
Screenshots purportedly showing messages between Nimisha and Mishra surfaced on social media following her death. In the alleged conversation, Mishra warned Nimisha against continuing her relationship with Ashik, while she questioned his identity and defended her relationship.
Mishra further claimed that he had spoken to Ashik and attempted to contact Nimisha's family. He also said his social media accounts were suspended after the messages surfaced and a police complaint was lodged.
In his video statement, Mishra urged people to consider warnings about what he described as "love jihad" and claimed that he or people like him had tried to warn women about such relationships.
"I, or anyone like me, who repeatedly tries to make society aware of 'love jihad' or any kind of jihad, should not simply be heard with one ear and ignored with the other. People should reflect on why such things happened and why they are happening, otherwise it will be too late," he said. "Nimisha, Vandana, Diksha, Swati or Shraddha, we or people like us must have tried to warn all of them," he added.
The authenticity of Mishra's claims and the messages circulating on social media had not been independently verified. The police investigation into Nimisha's death is continuing.
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