Prominent Indian journalist Rana Ayyub and her father received a series of death threats on November 2, after an unknown caller allegedly demanded that she write an article on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which claimed around 3,000 lives. According to reports, Ayyub was repeatedly called and messaged over a span of 20 minutes, with the caller claiming to know her address. The journalist immediately lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police, prompting the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to urge swift government action to ensure the safety of Ayyub and other journalists in India.

In her complaint, Ayyub revealed that the caller threatened to send people to her residence to harm her and her father if she failed to comply. The caller’s WhatsApp profile photo reportedly matched that of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, currently imprisoned in Gujarat. Following the complaint, Navi Mumbai Police deployed security outside Ayyub’s residence. This incident adds to the growing list of threats Ayyub has faced for her outspoken journalism, including the leak of her personal contact number in 2024 by a right-wing social media account known as “Hindutva Knight,” which led to harassment via messages and calls.

Ayyub, who authored the acclaimed investigative book “Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover-Up”, has been a frequent target of online abuse for her reporting on communal violence and government accountability. She expressed deep concern over the rising attempts to silence dissent and intimidate journalists through threats and doxxing. Sharing her ordeal online, Ayyub stated that she and her family spent the entire night in fear, adding that she had to switch off her phone to avoid further harassment. The case has reignited debates about press freedom and journalist safety in India, with calls for stronger protections against digital and physical intimidation.