Mumbai Police senior inspector Sudhir Kudalkar has debunked fake news which was making rounds on social media about the death of Ratan Tata's pet dog "Goa". A false WhatsApp message claiming that Mr Tata's dog Goa had died 3 days after the industrialist's death had been circulating online. "Sad news... Tata's pet dog GOA dies three days after his death. That's why they say dogs are more loyal to their masters than human beings!" the message read. However, after receiving the WhatsApp message, inspector Sudhir Kudalkar debunked the false news, saying that the dog was doing fine.
"A WhatsApp message is circulating about Late Ratan Tata Ji's pet dog, Goa, passed away. I verified this with Shantanu Naidu, who is also known as a close friend of Tata Ji and he confirmed that Goa is doing fine. Please make sure to verify facts before sharing posts," Mr Kudalkar wrote in an Instagram post.
In the comments section, many users were happy to know that the dog was doing well. "Absolutely shameless people who are circulating these kinds of fake news," wrote one user.
"Some people are so cruel..its fun for them to create fake news for publicity...Thank God Goa is fine," commented another. "For cheap publicity n fun people who are doing this... They don't know how they hurt some one's emotions. Blessings to Goa," said a third user.
"Humans have lost it. They can do anything for likes on social media. Thank you @sudhirkudalkar sir for confirming," added a fourth.
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Meanwhile, at Ratan Tata's funeral, Goa came to pay his last respects to the industrialist. Ratan Tata had a deep compassion for dogs and advocated for the welfare of stray animals. He was passionate about the welfare of abandoned pets and ensuring their safety, particularly during the monsoon season, when stray dogs often seek shelter under cars.
There's also a story behind why Mr Tata named the dog 'Goa'. Once, Ratan Tata was in Goa, when a stray dog started accompanying him. He decided to adopt him and bring him to Mumbai. Mr Tata named him 'Goa' and lives in the Bombay House in Mumbai along with other stray dogs. Just like the iconic Taj Hotel, stray dogs are welcomed at the Bombay House - a historic building in the city which serves as the head office of the Tata Group.
Ratan Tata died at the age of 86 on October 9 at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital.
