Being Harassed by Another Female Student and Her Friends

An anonymous student at IIT Madras reported a campaign of targeted harassment involving the unauthorized distribution of their phone number and the creation of deepfake imagery. The victim described a traumatic experience characterized by persistent digital abuse and intimidation following a personal disagreement.

What happened

Following a dispute over content shared in a WhatsApp community, the victim reported being subjected to repeated mockery in group chats and the use of call bombers on their personal phone number. The harassment escalated when the victim began receiving unsolicited messages from strangers soliciting sexual services. Upon investigation, the victim discovered their phone number had been posted in various Telegram groups, falsely advertising them for meetups and explicit activities.

The situation worsened when Telegram channels began circulating deepfake images of the student alongside their personal contact information. The victim stated that they reported the incident to college authorities, but alleged that the response was inadequate, with officials questioning why the student maintained public photos. The victim eventually identified a former friend, Tejaswini, as a potential administrator of a Telegram channel responsible for the threats. This identification occurred after a mutual friend recognized the Telegram account associated with the perpetrator's saved phone number. Upon the discovery of her potential involvement, the accused individual reportedly distanced herself from the situation and denied any culpability. The victim continues to struggle with the emotional aftermath of the incident, reporting feelings of fear and distress.