Thiruvananthapuram: Days after the death of a textile firm employee from Kozhikode, the Kerala Police have arrested a Youtuber and social media influencer on charges of abetting his suicide.
Shimjitha Mustafa (35) claimed to have filmed 42-year-old Deepak U C while sexually harassing her on a crowded bus last Friday. Instead of lodging a complaint with the police, she released the video on social media, attracting nearly 20 lakh views.
Deepak, who was travelling to work in Kannur by the Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSTC) bus, came to know of the video later and allegedly took his life after telling friends and family that he was falsely implicated.
Shimjitha was arrested after Deepak’s family registered an FIR, accusing her of circulating a fake video to gain publicity. She was arrested on Wednesday and demanded to 14 days in judicial custody by a court.
Men decided to launch a unique protest against what they believe was a publicity stunt by the woman. Many of them, including conductors, boarded buses wearing cardboard boxes as a symbolic expression of fear and uncertainty.
The demonstration, which quickly drew public attention, has intensified an already heated debate around trial by media, public accountability, women’s safety, and the growing concern over men’s rights.
Bus staff and commuters said the cardboard boxes represented their anxiety about being filmed, accused, and judged instantly on social media without any verification or due process.
Deepak was found hanging at his home on Sunday morning, just two days after circulation of the video. His close friend Asgar Ali told Onmanorama that Deepak was deeply distressed after learning about the video. According to Ali, Deepak was initially unaware of the clip and came to know about it only after others informed him. The shock of discovering that the video had gone viral left him emotionally shattered.
The night before his death, Deepak allegedly spoke about seeking legal recourse against the YouTuber who shared the video, asserting his innocence, Ali said.
