New convert to Islam subjected to cyberbullying

TNN | Apr 4, 2020, 04:42 IST

Coimbatore: A 24-year-old man, who had recently converted to Islam, on Friday said some youths in his locality were spreading rumours on social media that he was infected with Covid-19. He has approached police, seeking action against them.
A cop attached to Karumathampatti police station said M Saravanan, of M Pappampatti near Karumathampatti, had converted to Islam two months ago and changed his name to Abdul Rahman. A functionary of Tamil Puligal Katchi, he has been working with a power loom unit.
“With the lockdown is in force, he had stopped going to work and staying at his house along with his father Murugan and mother Radhamani, who are daily wage labourers. Meanwhile, a WhatsApp message that he had attended a meeting in New Delhi and returned home recently started doing the rounds,” the officer said.
The message read that a medical team had screened him at his house and the results would be out in two days. It also warned that the entire village of M Pappampatti and Moppiripalayam panchayat would be sealed by officials if he were to be tested positive for Covid-19, the officer said.
Saravanan alias Abdul Rahman, said, “On Thursday, I received phone calls from panchayat president, village administrative officers and many other people, asking me to come for Covid-19 screening. They also inquired about my health condition. I told them that I was not sick.”
However, he was taken to the ESI Hospital, where doctors screened him. He was later let off as doctors didn’t see in him any signs of Covid-19.
On Friday, he lodged a complaint with the Karumathampatti police, seeking action against two youths - Mahesh and Nandakumar - for spreading rumours about him on WhatsApp.