Man Who Sent Rape And Death Threats To Journalist Rana Ayyub Arrested

Recently, the Mumbai Police arrested a 24-year-old man from Madhya Pradesh for allegedly sending death and rape threats to the Indian journalist and author Rana Ayyub. He reportedly had a fake account on social media, using which he sent Ayyub threats. Ayyub has repeatedly posted about the faceless trolls on social media and the number of threats that she receives.

An unidentified police officer said that the accused person's name is Siddharth Shrivastav. He is a salesman in a garment shop and had allegedly threatened to kill Ayyub if she continued with her journalistic work. The officer also said that the accused used "vulgar and obscene language."

The accused person has been booked under the sections of the Indian Penal Code which deal with sexual harassment, death threats, defamation and outraging the modesty of women. He has also been charged under the sections of the Information Technology Act for identity theft and publishing or transmitting obscene material.

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The police said that he was operating under a fake name on Instagram, through which he had sent the messages. The accused has been produced in front of a metropolitan magistrate in Bandra. He has been remanded in judicial custody and will be jailed after the RT-PCR test for COVID-19.

Rana Ayyub Rape Threats

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by the Mumbai Police on February 1 this year, after Ayyub complained of getting rape and death threats online. Four Twitter accounts and two Instagram users were charged with sections under the Indian Penal Code as well as the Information Technology Act.

Following the arrest of an accused, Ayyub took to Twitter and said, "Mumbai cybercrime has made the first arrest in the rape and death threats issued to me. A young man has been arrested from Bhupal for giving me death threats. Hugely impressed with the alacrity of @MumbaiPolice and @CPMumbaiPolice who had promised me justice without delay."

In her tweet fleet, she thanked Dilip Walse Patil, the Home Minister of Maharashtra; Supriya Sule, the Member of Parliament and Satej D Patil, the Minister of State for Home, Housing, Transport, IT, amongst others. She said, "...who have played a crucial role in ensuring justice. As a journalist and a working woman, it is re-assuring to be part of a city that took swift action in not just this case but also the #bullibai case."

She also informed, "I have been told that the other perpetrators and instigators will also be arrested shortly. I would take this moment to urge other women to come forward and fight this harassment and intimidation. We are equally responsible in creating space for women."