Sudhir Kudalkar, a senior inspector with Mumbai police, has confirmed that Ratan Tata’s beloved dog, Goa, is alive and well, dispelling rumours about the animal’s death circulating mainly on WhatsApp and social media platforms. Following Tata’s passing on October 9, some reports falsely claimed Goa, who lived at Tata Group’s Bombay House office, had died soon after.
Kudalkar verified Goa’s wellbeing with Tata’s assistant, Shantanu Naidu, and shared the news in an Instagram post saying, “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.” The post went viral soon after.
Goa had also attended Tata’s funeral as part of the traditional Parsi Sagdid ritual––which means “glance of the dog”––and involves a dog being present to witness the deceased.
See the post:
Responding to the post, one Instagram user said, “Humans have lost it. They can do anything for likes on social media. Thank you @sudhirkudalkar sir for confirming.” Another user wrote, “Few days before Mr. Tata’s demise they circulated fake news about him. Now on his pet. Where is the world heading to ? It’s so scary.”
Another user commented, “Social media at its best. This shows how desperate people are to get some attention. Disgusting.”
Sudhir Kudalkar, an officer at the MHB police station in Borivali, has gained a reputation for his commitment to animal welfare, and spends time feeding and caring for stray animals near his station. He has been commended for his actions by groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
