New Delhi:
A social media influencer in Kerala has been arrested in connection with the death by suicide of a man she had publicly accused of sexual harassment, a case that has triggered intense debate around online accusations and their real-world consequences.
The accused woman, Shimjitha Musthafa, 35, had shared a video on her social media account last week alleging that Deepak U, 42, sexually harassed her while they were travelling on the same bus. The clip quickly went viral, amassing over 20 lakh views and drawing widespread attention.
According to police, the video led to severe public scrutiny of Deepak. Two days after the clip was recorded and shared, his parents found him dead by suicide at their home in Kozhikode. The family has maintained that he was innocent and said he was deeply distressed and humiliated after the video circulated widely. They also told authorities that he had stopped eating in the days following the incident.
After Deepak’s death, Musthafa deleted the original video and later posted another clip defending her actions and reiterating her claims. That video, too, was subsequently taken down.
Following an investigation, Kerala Police arrested Musthafa on charges related to abetment of suicide and other relevant sections, citing the public nature of the allegations and the impact of the viral content. The case is being probed to determine whether the accusations were substantiated and whether the social media posts directly contributed to the man’s death.
The incident has sparked wider discussion in Kerala about responsible use of social media, the handling of harassment allegations, and the balance between speaking out and ensuring due process. Authorities have urged people to avoid trial-by-social-media and to approach law enforcement through formal channels when raising serious accusations.
Police officials said the investigation is ongoing and that further action will depend on forensic evidence, witness statements, and digital records linked to the viral videos.
