Hijab-clad woman receives death threats,rape warnings over social media reels

 

 

 

A MUSLIM woman in Bhopal, Yasmeen (30), has become the target of a torrent of rape threats, death threats and abusive harassment after posting personal Instagram reels while wearing a Hijab. The severity of the threats has prompted the Police Commissioner to order a Crime Branch investigation. Yasmeen, originally from Murwas in Vidisha and currently residing in Bhopal’s Huzur area, filed a complaint stating she was targeted by several men, including some of her own relatives, simply for posting reels and responding to obscene and objectionable comments directed at her on the platform.

 

Threats intensified after response video: According to her complaint, the harassment intensified after she uploaded a video addressing the vulgar remarks previously made on her posts. She alleged that a man named Farooq from Vidisha contacted her via Instagram call and explicitly threatened to rape and kill her. Yasmeen claimed the group abused her, accused her of “supporting Hindus,” and used communal slurs while intimidating her.

 

She reported receiving multiple death threats from different WhatsApp numbers, including warnings that she would be shot if she did not delete her video. One message explicitly threatened beheading (‘sar tan se juda kar denge’) if she commented on the “Gaddi community” (a Muslim community based in Rajasthan, MP and Uttar Pradesh). Victim allegedly told to ‘Leave Islam’ “Hindu brothers support me, but a few from my community post dirty comments.

 

When I posted this on Instagram, extremists began threatening me,” she said, adding that she was even told to ‘leave Islam’ and threatened with ‘sar tan se juda kar denge’ if she did not delete the video. Deeply disturbed and fearing for her life, Yasmeen has submitted all digital evidence, including screenshots, messages, and links, to the police. Recognising the seriousness of the allegations, Police C o m m i s s i o n e r Harinarayanachari Mishra has handed the case over to the Crime Branch for a detailed probe.

 

Fake account created to defame victim: Yasmeen also disclosed that a fake Instagram account, rang_a5903, was created using her name and photos. Edited obscene videos and images were uploaded from this impersonated account to defame her. Another account, Abdul_Rahem_Kha, reportedly issued similar death threats through Instagram stories.