Following the militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists, Hindu right-wing social media handles have intensified their Islamophobic rhetoric, openly calling for rape and sexual violence against Kashmiri Muslim women. The disturbing surge in hate speech comes amid rising attacks and harassment targeting Kashmiris across India, reported the Maktoob Media.
The controversy began when a user, identified as Ben Dover (@nortjesznn) from Uttarakhand, posted what initially appeared to be a message of support for Kashmiri girls feeling unsafe in Delhi. “Any Kashmiri girl feeling threatened in Delhi can come to my house at night. You will be safe and well hosted,” he wrote. However, the message quickly turned sinister when he added, “But I can’t guarantee if she will be alive after spending a night with me,” and singled out women wearing hijabs as his “priority.”
The inflammatory tweets, which seem to mock genuine offers of assistance to Kashmiri students facing growing hostility, have highlighted the dangerous normalisation of sexual violence rhetoric. Shockingly, his post garnered more than 4,400 likes, reflecting a disturbing acceptance of such hateful sentiments in certain online circles.
Several responses to Dover’s tweets went further, openly endorsing rape and violence — a level of toxicity that many netizens found beyond reprehensible. Outrage soon followed, with numerous users condemning the misogyny, dehumanization of Muslim women, and blatant Islamophobia.
One user, @Isra44945572, compared such individuals to terrorists, stating, “All this attack has done is expose the monsters, rapists, and genocidal maniacs in the open. And these are the ones who think they have the right to be angry at the terrorists? You are the same, if not worse.”
Another, @sohailmd123, remarked, “Never prove your patriotism for this god forsaken country… nearly 5k likes agreeing with this rape threat.”
User @bibliophile890 labelled it a “common characteristic of rapist mindset, sick-minded, illiterate, unemployed people,” while @AAhmad105 stated bluntly, “This predator mindset isn’t fringe – it’s fed, protected, and thriving in Modi’s India.”
Despite widespread condemnation, Dover remained defiant. In a follow-up post, he dismissively addressed the backlash, saying, “Guys I know some of you Muslims have issues with my tweets… But just remember one thing. I don’t give a f*ck. I never have. I never will.”
The aftermath of the Pahalgam incident has seen a spike in violence and threats against Kashmiri citizens and students across India. This escalation has been fueled by misinformation and hate campaigns spearheaded by Hindutva-aligned IT cells on social media, further endangering vulnerable communities.
