GUNTUR: The police on Thursday arrested two persons in connection with the alleged suicide of 32-year-old Gothi Geethanjali Devi due to social media trolling. Disclosing the case details at a press conference, Guntur SP Tushar Dudi said Pasumarthi Rambabu (46) of Singh Nagar in Vijayawada and Venkata Durga Rao (31) of Undi village in West Godavari district were arrested in connection with the woman’s suicide.
Geethanjali allegedly attempted to end her life on March 7 by jumping in front of a running train near Tenali railway station as she was distressed “due to the malicious trolling by TDP and JSP supporters on a video of her praising the State government’s schemes”.
She succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at the Guntur GGH on March 11. The police registered an FIR under Sections 509, 306 of IPC and Section 67 of IT Act.
“Using open-source intelligence, cyber teams and other resources, we have compiled a database of accounts that were used to harass Geethanjali. From this database, as many as 60 social media accounts through which malicious comments were posted have been identified. Legal action will be taken against other individuals involved in the case,” the SP said.
Explaining the severity of trolling of Geethanjali, the SP said after receiving the house site patta at a government programme on March 4, she gave an interview to a channel. As the video went viral, she faced severe trolling, including sexual remarks and abuse of her family members.
Unable to bear the harassment, she resorted to the extreme step. He made it clear that the incident was a suicide, but not an accident, as being alleged by some people. If people face any such harassment, they can seek aid by contacting local police, district SP, Disha Police or Disha App, 1930 helpline, and State Mahila helpline 9154880389, the SP advised.
Meanwhile, TDP Telugu Mahila State chief V Anitha lashed out at the YSRC for resorting to politics over the death of a woman. “The YSRC leaders have made contradictory statements over the death of Geethanjali. They have given a statement that she died under suspicious circumstances and later changed it to suicide, and then as a murder,’’ she said.
“The YSRC leaders used to make videos with Geethanjali for publicity. She used to travel from Tenali to Vijayawada in Janmabhoomi Express. Money used to be deposited into her bank account by the YSRC,’’ Anitha alleged. She questioned as to why the police are not revealing the names of the two persons, who were with her at Tenali railway station. She asked as to why her husband did not lodge a complaint till March 11, when she met with the accident on March 7.
