Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 11: Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Friday warned of stringent legal action against those allegedly targeting senior journalist Jijo John Puthezhath’s family in cyberattacks following his death.
Puthezhath, 54, who was a special correspondent with Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama and was known for his investigative reports, died at a hospital in Kochi on Wednesday following a brief illness.
Soon after his death, abusive comments targeting the journalist over some of his earlier news reports flooded social media platforms.
Following this, the Ernakulam Press Club district committee lodged a complaint with the state Home minister, director general of police and Kochi city police commissioner, seeking immediate action against such social media accounts and those behind the posts.
In a Facebook post, Satheesan said the cyberattacks targeting Puthezhath and his family following the journalist’s unexpected death were “extremely painful”.
He said spreading hatred and falsehoods in an organised manner through social media against a deceased journalist, or any human being, was a blot on Keralam’s high social culture.
“People spreading hatred through accounts, whether with or without identities, should ask themselves what humanity and human values they stand for,” he said.
The chief minister said it would be a serious matter if the abusive posts were driven by political animosity over investigative reports published by Puthezhath in the past.
“Insulting a journalist for discharging his duty and even targeting him after his death out of political animosity is not befitting a democratic society,” he said.
Satheesan said the government would consider the issue with utmost seriousness based on complaints submitted by the Ernakulam Press Club and Puthezhath’s friends.
“Strict legal action will be taken against the culprits without any compromise. Such despicable and cruel cyberattacks will not be tolerated against anyone,” he added.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala directed stringent action against those involved in cyberattacks targeting Puthezhath and his family.
Strict action will be taken against those who circulated defamatory and abusive posts on social media against him and his family, the minister said in a statement.
The cyber abuse appeared to have stemmed from political animosity over news reports filed by the journalist in the past, Chennithala said, adding that stringent action would be taken against those responsible. (PTI)
