THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have appointed Thiruvananthapuram Range DIG Sanjay Kumar Gurudin to investigate the cyber attack on a section of journalists. The Hi-tech cell, Cyber Cell and Cyberdome officials, who will assist Gurudin in his probe, have been asked to prepare a report within 24 hours on the cyber bullying taking place on social media platforms.
Asianet Thiruvananthapuram Bureau Chief K G Kamalesh, Regional Editor R Ajayaghosh, Jaihind reporter Prameela Govind and Malayala Manorama’s Nisha Purushothaman were some of the journalists who came under vicious online attack. Police sources said the officers checked the said comments and posts and found them to be derogatory and sexually coloured.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said personal attacks should not be conducted against anyone, be it in the cyber space or media space. “Only one side should not be viewed. We should see all sides. We saw the intolerance against K K Shailaja who performs her duties well as a health minister. The KPCC president called her a dancer and the Opposition leader accused her of media mania,” he said.
Attack has CM’s covert nod: Chennithala
T’Puram: For the second time in a gap of a few days, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala came down heavily on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the cyber attack unleashed by the CPM’s cyber warriors against media persons. He alleged that the CM is getting paranoid when the Opposition and the media expose the misdeeds of the government. The CM cannot tolerate differences of opinion, and the present cyber attack on the journalists who criticise the government is being carried out with the his covert permission, Chennithala told reporters. Chennithala compared Pinarayi with US president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying all three have the same style of functioning and that they rant against the reporters who pose difficult questions. Chennithala said the CPM’s “cyber goons” commenced the attack after getting the green signal from the chief minister.