BENGALURU: Former MP and actress Ramya on Monday sought action against fans of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa for sending “scandalous, ghastly, offensive, obnoxious and vulgar” messages to her on Instagram from various accounts.
She submitted a petition to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, while the Karnataka State Commission for Women (KSCW) also wrote to the police commissioner, directing him to act against those posting derogatory messages to Ramya on social media. The Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) and several other organisations, besides many actors, extended their support to Ramya.
The actress has compiled details of 43 accounts, from which miscreants have given her rape and death threats. A few accounts are also in the name of women. The actress was targeted after she shared an article about Supreme Court proceedings in the bail hearing of actor Darshan and others, who are the accused in the murder of Renukaswamy. Ramya had stated that Renukaswamy’s family should get justice.
The Central division CEN police registered an FIR against all the 43 accounts mentioned in Ramya’s complaint. The case has been registered under Sec 66 and 67 of IT Act and 351(2), 351(3), 352, 75(1)(4), and 79 of BNS. Ramya had given the IDs of all the 43 accounts and one of the accused has been identified as Pramod Gowda.
Ramya: Darshan responsible for online abuse
“They impend a direct threat to my life. I have submitted details of 43 accounts in which the comments were extremely vulgar and sexual in nature. I have ignored the other messages. Darshan is solely responsible for all such online abuse. He must have advised his fans. If he had told his fans to refrain from making such online comments, Renukaswamy could have been alive. Though I have acted with Darshan, I am not in touch with him,” Ramya told reporters after submitting the complaint to the police commissioner.
“Some of the miscreants have even said that I, instead of Renukaswamy, should have been murdered. Though some of the accounts are in the names of women, I don’t think the messages were sent by women, and the accused have misused the names of women and also their photographs. Criticism is welcome, but this is horrible. It reflects the mindset of the present day youth. Two years ago, I filed a complaint against online abuse aimed at other actors, even though I was not targeted. I forgave the accused as he was a small boy,” Ramya said.
“I will fight alone even if nobody supports me. I am grateful to all those who are supporting me. I am coming forward so that this ends. If we do not speak up, there will be more harassment of women,” she added. Ramya posted on her social media account that she is not scared of anybody.