Lucknow wholesaler claims smear campaign against cigarette brand

A businessman in Lucknow has filed a police complaint against social media users for allegedly attacking his cigarette brand. Harsh Agarwal, who sells cigarettes wholesale, believes a group is running a smear campaign that harms his sales. In his complaint to the Sarojininagar police, Agarwal said the users are spreading false information about his brand. He claims they are promoting rival products while humiliating his customers. During his visits to local shops, he witnessed several customers facing harassment and ridicule from these individuals. Agarwal described incidents where customers were verbally abused for buying his brand. Some even received threats if they continued to purchase it. He mentioned that shopkeepers are also facing intimidation and pressure to stop selling his cigarettes. The complaint includes links to Instagram reels that allegedly spread negative messages. One of the accounts mentioned is linked to a social media influencer. The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a man named Muzammil and other unidentified individuals, citing multiple serious offenses.