Police have arrested twelve people for sending vulgar and abusive messages to Kannada actress and former MP Ramya. All the arrested individuals are fans of jailed actor Darshan, who targeted Ramya online after she commented on the fan murder case. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) is also searching for more suspects involved in the abuse.
The latest three arrests were made in north Karnataka, while earlier nine people were caught from Bengaluru, Vijayapura, Chitradurga, and other districts. Most of them were working in small private firms. The police have also identified at least ten more suspicious accounts. Some accused deleted their posts and went into hiding, but investigators say they have enough evidence to track them down.
Ramya had lodged a complaint against 43 social media accounts, mentioning that she received rape threats and indecent remarks. She explained that the trolling began after she shared a news update about the Supreme Court’s hearing on Darshan’s bail petition. I wanted to show people that justice is possible. But instead, I was targeted with threats. If this can happen to me, what about ordinary women? she said.
She added that celebrities must set an example and condemned Darshan for not advising his fans against such behavior. Ramya pointed out that many fake profiles were used to post obscene content. The Karnataka State Women’s Commission and the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) have also demanded strict action against those responsible.