Influencer mistaken for widow of Army officer, receives online harassment
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Popular Instagram influencer Reshma Sebastian has been mistakenly identified as Smriti Singh, the widow of Captain Anshuman Singh, leading to online harassment.
Captain Singh was recently awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously, India's second-highest gallantry award, by President Droupadi Murmu for his bravery during a fire incident in Siachen.
Sebastian, who resides in Germany and is a mother to a four-year-old girl, faced numerous comments from internet users who noted her resemblance to Smriti Singh in terms of facial features and hairstyle. This confusion led to unwarranted criticism of her fashion videos and pictures on social media.
In response, Sebastian shared a screenshot on her Instagram story, showing a man mocking Captain Singh's wife in a Facebook post that mistakenly included her picture. She expressed her frustration, stating, "This is absurd! Using my identity to spread false information about Smriti Singh. We are going ahead with legal actions."
With over three lakh followers, she urged people to report any similar incidents.
Sebastian also posted on her Instagram feed, emphasizing the misidentification and urging users to read profile details and bios before spreading false information and hate comments. "There is a limit," she captioned the post, clarifying that her page is not associated with Smriti Singh.
The confusion stems from a tragic incident last July when a short circuit caused a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump at Siachen. Captain Singh heroically rescued those trapped in a nearby hut and attempted to retrieve life-saving medicine from a medical investigation shelter, suffering severe burns that led to his death.
The couple had married in February of the previous year after Captain Singh graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, with Siachen being his first posting under Operation Meghdoot.