Pratyusha Paul: Police Record Statement In Cyber Harassment Case

Pratyusha Paul case: Kolkata police Tuesday recorded the statement of Bengali actor Pratyusha Paul in a case of cyber harassment and launched a probe, as per reports.

Paul filed a police complaint last week alleging abusive messages and rape threats to her on social media. A case was reportedly registered under relevant sections of the IT Act and IPC. Instagram, where Paul received the said texts, has also been sent a notice by police authorities. More on the case here.

A probe in the case has begun. No arrests have been made yet.

Looking At The Pratyusha Paul Case

Though she says being a public figure, she is often at the receiving end of negative messages on social media, harassment for the past year by one particular account urged her to take legal action.

"I have blocked the accounts 30 times and this is the 31st time that the person has created a new account and threatened me again on Instagram," she said. The account in question has also allegedly sent her rape threats and threatened harm to her family and relatives.

Several actors in the past have spoken up about facing cyber harassment. Bhatt sisters Pooja and Shaheen both revealed experiences of receiving rape threats online last year. "Instagram seems to have become a place where people anonymously & otherwise use their access to hurl abuse, threaten rape and goad you to ‘go die’," Pooja Bhatt had said.

Earlier this month, in a horrific case, Indian Muslim women were targeted on the internet via an app called 'Sulli Deals' that sought to 'auction' them off by name and photo. After women raised complaints online and with authorities, the Delhi police filed an FIR and are probing the case.

Who is Pratyusha Paul? 

Paul is an actor who predominantly appears on Bengali television. She is known for shows Tobu Mone Rekho and Chunni Panna. Read about her here.

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