A 30 year fashion designer from Dehradun was summoned by Koparkhairane police in the case of stalking and harassment of journalist Rana Ayyub on social media after her contact number was made public on X by ‘Hindutva Knight’ with handle name @HPhobiaWatch.
The fashion designer is one of the 12 accused named in the FiR by Ayyub for harassing her with abusive comments and messages. “We had gone to Dehradun to serve her with the notice after which she reached the police station on Monday and gave her statement,” police inspector Shivaji Bhandwalkar from Koparkhairane police station said. The fashion designer identified as Diksha Kandpal had allegedly written an objectionable comment on the thread of the post in which Ayub’s contact number was revealed.
I have lived a nightmare. At around 1 am tonight, this right wing handle posted my number on twitter, asked his followers to text me. My phone did not stop ringing through the night. Video calls, obscene Whats app msgs. Hello @MumbaiPolice @NCWIndia, this was targeted harassment pic.twitter.com/3LOc1BaO1Z
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) November 8, 2024
The journalist on November 8 had tweeted on X and tagged the Mumbai police about the harassment she had been facing after the handle posted her contact number of the social media platform. The FIR with Koparkhairane police was registered on November 9. “We have served the notices to around five people till now. The main handle through which the post was made has not been traced yet and we are investigating the case further,” officer added.
The case was registered under the sections of 75 (2) and 3– sexual harassment, 78 (2) – Stalking, 79- insult to modesty. 352- insult to provoke, 351 (2) – intentional insult, of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Ayub in her post stated that the handle – Hindutva Knight @Hphobiawatch had posted her picture along with her contact number with a message – ‘Send me some nice horror movie suggestions on my whatsapp’ To this post there were series of responses which were abusive and filled with hatred. She also mentioned that the post was deleted after she tagged the police however another handle once again re-posted the same details.
Ayub has identified 12 handles in her complaint as accused- Hindutva Knight @ HPhobiawatch, Tailung @ lastmilfbendar, Diksha Kandpal @Dikshakanpal8, unknown@ ioscrack, pork at pork9, miltoxins @ milktoxins, cpahi @c_pahi, Balaji G @Mr Balaji_here, Vehemji @not_anway, Jen@GemsofHate and a watsapp number identified as Shekawat.
