Social media is both a boon and bane. It has helped us connect with friends from the comfort of our homes but at the same time, it has also given people the liberty to post content without a (legal or moral) filter. Which means there is usually nothing protecting us from receiving prank calls, hate messages, obscene pictures and in some cases, death threats.
Journalist Barkha Dutt recently faced the brunt of the negative side of the digital world. About a month ago, Barkha had registered an FIR with the cyber crime cell because she was receiving threatening phone calls, messages, WhatsApp calls and unsolicited pictures from unknown people.
Image source: Instagram
As reported by a leading daily, in the FIR, Barkha had said, “I appear to have been made a victim of some fake news propaganda and my number has been shared on all social media platforms. I have been sent nude pictures and sexually abusive text messages. I fear for my well-being, security and life as this is a coordinated assault by a violent mob.”
Reportedly, during the interrogation, the accused told the police that they found Dutt’s number on social media, where someone had shared it claiming it was for “escort services.”
Today, Delhi Police’s cyber crime cell has arrested three men from Delhi and one from Gujarat for harassing Barkha online. Talking about the arrest, a senior officer said, “A team was formed and police, using technical surveillance, arrested the men, identified as Rajiv Sharma (23), Hemraj Kumar (31) and Aditya Kumar (34) from Delhi and Shabbir Gurfan Pinjari (45), a resident of Surat.”
Barkha took to Twitter to thank the cyber crime cell and share the good news. Here’s what she tweeted:
Dear @DCP_CCC_Delhi @DelhiPolice @CPDelhi – thanks for four arrests made for sexual abuse, death threat, stalking, nude pix & violence, Id like to underline you are yet to act against at least 10 other grave offenders. My statement before the magistrate is on record. Please Act.
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) March 20, 2019
Apparently, as per media reports, Dutt had been harassed on social media after she offered to help Kashmiris who were being targeted following the Pulwama attack.
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