Kannada writer Chetana threatened with 'rape, acid attacks' for endorsing beef consumption

As countrywide protests over “rising intolerance” continued, a Kannada filmmaker and writer in Bengaluru has been threatened with dire consequences on social media after she participated in a rally endorsing beef consumption and questioned Hindu practices, a senior police official said. Chetana Thirthahalli lodged a complaint last week with Hanumanthnagar police station in Bengaluru, seeking action against an individual, Madhusudan Gowda, for threatening her with dire consequences, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) BS Lokesh Kumar said. [caption id=“attachment_2482900” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Chetana Thirthahalli. Image courtesy Chetana Thirthahalli’s Facebook page[/caption] “The threat comes after she had endorsed beef consumption and questioned Hindu practices on social media,” he said. According to The Daily Mail, people left messages on her Facebook page, threatening her with rape and acid attacks. However, when Kumar was asked if she had included threats or rape or acid attack against her in the complaint, he said “no.” “Chetana has been receiving the threat messages from the past one year but did not take them seriously. She approached us following (renowned writer) MM Kalburgi’s killing,” Kumar said. Hanumanthnagar police are investigating the case, he said. According to DNA, most of the threats came from fake IDs, but Gowda allegedly made the threats from his own Facebook account. She alleged that he continued to make the threats even after she had filed the complaint. The Times Of India reports that the cops have filed a case under section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and section 509 (word gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. The cyber crime cell will also trace Gowda’s location. Kalburgi’s murder followed by the Dadri lynching incident involving a Muslim over beef-eating rumours has triggered protests by writers, with several of them returning their Sahitya Akademi awards to protest “rising intolerance”. With inputs from PTI