DCW issues notice to police over jailed Jamia student being trolled

The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued notice to Delhi Police over trolls "slandering" Jamia Millia Islamia student Safoora Zargar, who is pregnant and lodged in Tihar Jail for alleged violence during anti-CAA protests here. Zargar, the media coordinator of Jamia Coordination Committee, was arrested last month in connection with the protests in northeast Delhi's Jaffrabad in February.

Later, she was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case related to the communal violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in northeast district and sent to Tihar Jail. Zargar is being trolled on social media on the paternity of her child.

"On receipt of complaints, DCW issued notice to Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell against shameful slandering by trolls of pregnant Safoora Zargar," the panel said. DCW chief Swati Maliwal said the court will decide whether Zargar is guilty or not "but no one has the right to outrage her modesty and vilify her character".

The DCW is in receipt of multiple complaints regarding abuse and character assassination of arrested research scholar, Safoora Zargar, the panel said in the notice. "It is stated that a vilification campaign is being run against her and her unborn child on social media and misogynistic comments are being made. It is stated that several comments outraging her dignity and threatening her family have also been made," the notice said.

The women''s panel sought to know whether a case has been registered in connection with the online abuse and measures taken to remove the posts. The panel has sought the reply by May 10. Meanwhile, the Left-backed All India Students' Association has given a call for a poster campaign #WithSafooraAgainstSlander on May 7 and urged everyone to share their pictures with placards supporting Zargar and condemning the online campaign..