KOZHIKODE: Shilpa V. Kumar, director of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR), Kumily, has been on a fight against a coterie which has been haunting her with obscene comments both on the official Facebook page of Periyar Tiger Reserve and also on individual FB pages.
Though she had approached Kumily police with a complaint against a person Sajimon Salim, seeking justice from the harassment through social networking sites, the police failed to ensure her the same. Later, Ms Kumar also approached higher police officials and the Chief Minister. It was the intervention of the Chief Minister that forced the police department to hand over the case from the local police to Crime Branch. Unable to withstand the lackadaisical attitude of the police, Ms Kumar had also approached court.
Shilpa V. Kumar told DC that this particular person has been harassing her through social networking sites for the past eight months. “Though I have been trying to ignore him, the harassment continued beyond all limits”, she said. Ms Kumar, who earlier in Silent Valley, feels that she never had experienced such loathsome behavior from anyone in the past. “When selected to IFS, I had opted to work in the state as I was happy to serve my people”, she said, adding that now she feels sad.
Idukky Crime Branch DySP Antony told DC that the investigation in the case is on. “The accused is involved in many other cases in the past”, he said, adding that strict action would be initiated against him soon.
Meanwhile the Sessions Court, Thodupuzha had dismissed the anticipatory bail petition submitted by Sajimon Salim on Wednesday. Noted cyber forensics expert P. Vinod Bhattathirippad told DC that the state government should have acted stern in such cases as she was harassed on the official FB page and in her official capacity.
