Renowned Indian Journalist Rana Ayyub Received Death Threats Again

Journalist Rana Ayyub has been continuously facing online trolling, government threats, criminal investigations, rape and death threats because of her reporting and writing.

Mumbai: Internationally renowned Indian journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, Rana Ayyub has once again received death threats. The journalist stated that she received threats via video, phone calls and messages from international numbers. The person making the threats gave Rana Ayyub her home address and also threatened to kill her father.

Rana Ayyub wrote on X, "On the night of November 2nd, I received a call from a Canadian number, in which the caller said that if I did not publish an op-ed in the Washington Post praising the assassination of Indira Gandhi, he would kill me and my father. The display picture on the mobile phone was of Lawrence Bishnoi, and the name displayed was Harry Shooter."

The journalist further stated, "He gave my home address and said he would send shooters to my house. My parents are traveling; he also mentioned the city where they were and said he would kill my father and no one would be able to save him."

"I immediately contacted the Navi Mumbai Police, who sent police officers to my house and patrolled around my house all night. The police also reached out to my parents where they are. No FIR has been registered yet. I will urge and request the police to identify the culprits."

The Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that works to protect the rights of journalists, has demanded that Indian authorities immediately ensure the safety of Rana Ayyub and her family. Kunal Majumdar, CPJ's India Representative, said, “The threats of violence received by Rana Ayyub and her father from an unknown international number are deeply disturbing.” “Authorities must act immediately to identify and prosecute those responsible, and ensure the safety of all journalists in India so that they can work without fear or violence.”

In a complaint filed with the Kopar Khairane, Navi Mumbai police on November 3, Ayyub stated that she received several video calls, phone calls, and threatening messages on WhatsApp within 20 minutes on November 2, 2025. The journalist said, "I'm currently fighting several court cases, and all I want is to be able to do my reporting and journalism freely and impartially – not be confined to my room with my family out of fear."

Rana Ayyub, the author of 'Gujarat Files', had her personal phone number leaked online last year, and she has previously faced online trolling, government threats, criminal investigations, and rape and death threats because of her reporting and writing.