MUMBAI: Rana Ayyub, an independent journalist, shared her experiences of online harassment after her contact details were leaked on the social media platform X.
She reported receiving unsolicited video calls, sexually explicit messages, and numerous bank OTPs, all initiated after her personal information was posted by a self-described Hindu nationalist.
On the previous day, Ayyub had spent 11 hours at a police station narrating her ordeal, which led to the filing of a first information report. She also mentioned an impending court appearance related to a defamation lawsuit filed by a Hindu nationalist group over an article she wrote 15 years ago.
The journalist also described being subjected to intense surveillance during a recent trip to Manipur. She claimed that police and alleged intelligence officers followed her closely, monitoring her movements to the extent of accompanying her to a village washroom.
Ayyub refuted claims that she had moved to the United States and shared that she has often considered leaving the country or quitting journalism. Despite the challenges, she emphasized her dedication to journalism, describing it as the “elixir of my life,” and stated her resolve to continue reporting.
