She was harassed for crude remarks about Modi at a Cockroach protest. Now she can’t leave home
After a protest clip went viral, a teenager’s life was torn apart by threats that sent her and her family into hiding. Plus, a book on citizen journalism
TL;DR
- A 15-year-old named R became the target of harassment after an 11-second video of her making crude remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a protest went viral.
- R faced a police case for insult and public mischief, and subsequently received rape and death threats, abusive calls, and constant warnings.
- Due to safety concerns and threats, R and her single mother were forced to leave their home and have struggled to find new housing, impacting their finances and the mother's income.
- The incident has caused R to miss school and become increasingly isolated, with some friends cutting contact.
- Despite R's apology video, pro-government media continued to target her, prompting her to post a video detailing her suffering.
- R now focuses on her upcoming board exams, hoping to look ahead despite the traumatic experiences of the past few months.