Mumbai: Prominent journalist and Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub has reported receiving death threats from a caller claiming to be a Canadian resident. The caller demanded she write an article on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and threatened to have her shot if she refused.
In her complaint to the Koparkhairane police in Mumbai, Rana said the caller sent her a video of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the word “killed” written on it. The threats also included personal details of her and her father’s addresses in Navi Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh. The caller reportedly identified himself as part of a group called “SOPU” and displayed an image of Lawrence Bishnoi alongside the Canadian flag.
Rana said the person demanded she write in honor of Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, both assassins of Indira Gandhi, and warned her not to treat the demand as a request. After she blocked the number, she reported the incident to the Commissioner of Navi Mumbai, Milind Bharambe. Police officials have since visited her and her parents, though no FIR has yet been filed.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Indian authorities to act immediately to ensure the safety of Ayyub and her family. CPJ stated that threats against journalists must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.
Rana also requested that the Canadian High Commission be informed, as the individual claimed to be based in Canada. The case adds to a pattern of harassment she has faced in recent years, including coordinated online attacks and doxxing campaigns targeting her Muslim identity and journalistic work.
