Kochi : The high court on Monday issued a directive to the police to provide adequate protection to Aparna Kurup, coordinating editor of Big TV, a Malayalam news channel.
It was also stated in the petition that a case was registered on her complaint against the cyberattacks by the Kochi city cybercrime police on Sept 7. The court further sought instructions from the state govt and the police on the petition and adjourned the matter to Oct 26. A bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the directive in a petition filed by Kurup seeking police protection on account of continuous cyberattacks against her on various social media platforms. Kurup alleged in her petition that she had faced severe cyberbullying and threats following a programme aired on the channel criticising the remarks made by Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama (A P faction) general secretary Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, concerning Muslim women’s participation in public life, prompting her to approach the HC. She further claimed that she was facing massive online harassment, doxxing and death threats, with fake social media handles circulating her family details and home address. the bench directed the police to afford adequate protection to the petitioner’s life as well as her residential apartment While considering the petition. It also directed the police to ensure that the law-and-order situation in the vicinity of the petitioner’s residence is maintained without any sort of obstruction or interference from any person, pending disposal of the petition.