Hyderabad, Nov.18 (RAHNUMA): Hyderabad Commissioner of Police V. C. Sajjanar on Tuesday assured strict action after a group of women journalists, including independent journalist Tulasi Chandu, submitted a detailed complaint alleging sustained online trolling, harassment, intimidation, life threats and sexually derogatory abuse on social media.
The delegation played several troll videos before the Commissioner to show the nature of the harassment. They said multiple social media handles have been consistently posting hate comments, abusive remarks and coordinated attacks aimed at humiliating, silencing and endangering women journalists who report on matters of public interest.
Sajjanar asked the delegation to share all links, screenshots and videos of the content with his office for verification.
“We will take action. You will see the steps we initiate. I will speak further after action is taken,” he told the journalists, assuring them that legal measures would follow.
In their written complaint, the journalists said they have been facing a “deeply troubling pattern” of online harassment and life threats. They stated that certain social media handles and organised groups, acting with malafide intent, have been targeting women journalists with vulgar abuse, life-threatening remarks, defamatory posts and derogatory videos. Some individuals have publicly claimed that they know the residential addresses of the journalists, the petition said.
The complainants said the trolling appears coordinated and aimed at creating fear among women journalists and obstructing their professional duties. They also pointed out that several of these handles routinely circulate hate-filled, divisive and religiously charged content.
The journalists requested the Commissioner to order a detailed enquiry into the handles and initiate action against those involved. They said the sustained harassment is an attack on press freedom and violates the dignity and modesty of women journalists.
