Fact Check: Ratan Tata's Dog Is NOT Dead; Mumbai Police Strikes Off Fake News To Confirm 'Goa' Is Alive

Mumbai: Ratan Tata's dog 'Goa' was claimed to be dead, days after the demise of its owner, on WhatsApp forwarded messages. But this piece of information is entirely fake. The dog is alive. The messages about Goa's death are untrue. However, they are widely being circulated across social media platforms including WhatsApp, necessitating a need to fact check and make people aware that Ratan Tata's dog is not dead.

Fake news being shared on social media platforms

Senior Mumbai police officer Sudhir Kudalkar, who is known for his love for animals and rescuing them, took note of the viral forwards on WhatsApp regarding dog Goa and debunked the fake news about its death.

He shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp message being shared across online groups wrongly claiming the dog has passed away after grieving the loss of its master. "Sad news...Tatas pet Dog GOA DIES AFTER 3 DAYS ..OF HIS DEATH .. That's why they say that Dogs are more faithful to their masters, than human beings," the WhatsApp forward read.

Fact check: Ratan Tata's dog is alive

Striking off the claim and verifying it with Shantanu Naidu, a close friend and aide to the late philanthropist, Kudalkar stated that Ratan Tata's dog Goa is not dead.

He clarified on Instagram that the dog is alive and that the information about its death is fake.

"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," the cop wrote.

Ratan Tata's death

Padma Vibhushan Ratan Tata, a well-known Indian industrialist and philanthropist, breathed his last on October 9. He was reported to have passed away due to age-related issues, after being admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He was 86.

Tata's beloved 'Goa'

Visuals from Ratan Tata's funeral, a day after his demise, captured heart-wrenching scenes of his pet paying final tribute to his master and mourning beside his coffin.

Alongside being an industrialist and the chairman of Tata Group, Ratan Tata was also an animal lover who recently built an animal hospital in Mahalakshmi, Mumbai. He adopted 'Goa' a decade ago from the streets of Goa, when he was on a trip to the state.