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Mumbai: In an alarming incident that highlights the grim reality of cyber harassment, a 37-year-old actress from Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai found herself a victim of a malicious cyber crime. Her distorted nude photos were distributed to her friends and family through various social media platforms and messaging services, causing a wave of shock and horror.
The persecution began in a very insidious manner. The actress was first alerted to the situation by a male friend, who reported receiving morphed photos from her Facebook account. Despite her busy schedule and professional commitments, she took immediate action by capturing screenshots of the objectionable content. However, she did not report the incident immediately, thereby inadvertently increasing the cyber harassment.
The situation became even more dire when her parents in Punjab received the morphed photos through WhatsApp. Many of her friends also found similar pictures on her Instagram account, these pictures came from a different account. This deadly cyber attack, clearly well-planned and targeted, sent a wave of distress across her personal and professional circles.
Apart from the distribution of distorted images, the actress also had to deal with death threats. These threats were made through a friend’s Instagram account in September 2023. The actress suspects a male friend from Pirangut, Pune, of being the mastermind behind the harassment. She has provided her contact details to the authorities for further investigation.
Following these tragic incidents, a case has been registered at Versova Police Station. The charges laid fall under sections of both the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act related to criminal intimidation and transmission of sexually explicit material. This serious situation underlines the urgent need for stronger cyber laws and security as well as increased awareness and vigilance among social media users.
