Alleged instigator in trolling of student held

Teen was cast as ‘a fake’ trying to impress film star after photos of her vending fish after college were circulated

Kerala Police yesterday took into custody a person alleged to have been the main tormentor of a 19-year-old Kerala student, who was trolled on social media for selling fish after college hours.

Noorudeen Shaikh is being questioned and a First Information Report has been registered against him, a police officer said. He has been booked under various sections of the IT Act, besides provisions relating to non-bailable offences.

Hanan Hamid, a final-year graduate student of Chemistry studying in a college near Kochi had attracted attention after it came to light that she was eking out a livelihood by selling fish and also doing odd jobs as a junior artist in films.

All Hamid was doing was trying to take care of an ailing mother, who is separated from her husband.

It was Shaikh who had first taken selfies with Hamid when he came to know of her struggles. Later, however, he went hammer and tongs against her and posted the pictures questioning her condition, after she was also seen in a few pictures with Malayalam movie superstar Mohanlal.

Soon Shaikh’s post went viral and Hamid was slammed as “a fake and doing all she did only to impress superstar Mohanlal to land a role with his son Pranav Mohanlal in an upcoming film.”

Police track social media

Speaking to the media, after hearing of Shaikh’s arrest, Hamid said she was very happy to hear the news. “Now I have realised that, with the support I am getting from the government and my college, I have now got so many guardians,” she said.

The police, who have been tracking social media posts related to the case, have said more people who subjected Hamid to abuse would also face consequences.

It was after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Facebook post supporting Hamid on Friday that the police registered a case against the cyber bullies.

On Saturday, Vijayan speaking to reporters in Kochi said: “The thumb rule for those on the social media is to be careful with their statements.”

Left organisations apart, the women’s commission has also come out in support of Hamid.

It was after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Facebook post supporting Hamid on Friday that the police registered a case against the cyber bullies.