Sushant Singh Rajput death | Kolkata police probing online harassment, trolling of Bengali women

File image: Rhea Chakraborty

Bengali women are being trolled on social media over Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty’s alleged involvement in the Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Several Bengali women have been subject to online abuse after a leading Hindi news channel suggested that Chakraborty, who is a Bengali, may have used black magic on the deceased actor.

After the West Bengal Commission for Women (WBCW) received several emails complaining of harassment, the cyber cell of the Kolkata Police took cognisance of the matter and started a probe. According to an India Today report, the police have already written to Facebook and Twitter seeking details.

The commission’s chairperson Leena Ganguly said they have received over 30 complaints related to harassment and defamation of ‘Bengali women’ on social media. “This is a worrying trend… We do not want to treat this just as a case against Bengali women, but women in general. The way women are being targeted using derogatory remarks is shocking…. Those indulging in such acts often think they can get away with it because police would not take it seriously.”

The police investigation is being carried out on the basis of a complaint filed by a psychologist from Kolkata who was also harassed for being a Bengali. A case has been filed under section 67A of the Information Technology Act and sections 354D (stalking), 509 (whoever intending to insult the modesty of any woman), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.