A few days ago Rafeeque Taliparamba, a photographer from Kerala, had questioned the Islamic tradition of 'Purdah' on a WhatsApp group of friends and acquaintances. On Sunday morning, news emerged that Rafeeque's studio in Taliparambu had been reduced to ashes, with equipment worth lakhs lost in the fire.
Rafeeque suspects that some people who had threatened him for his message on the WhatsApp group openly could have been behind the attack.
"It was not a public forum, but a group of people who knew each other. This was my personal opinion that I shared and I have faced a lot of vitriolic attacks because of it. Now my livelihood has been affected," Rafeeque told the media.
It was on a WhatsApp group called 'What is Islam' that Rafeeque had shared his thoughts. This had reportedly created a huge furore with people in the group supporting and condemning him. Later, some people made open threats and exhorted others to boycott Rafeeque.
A police complaint has been registered by Rafeeque and the police will investigate certain people who posted on the same group on Saturday that Rafeeque's studio had been reduced to ashes.
Meanwhile, many including Rafeeque's friends came out in social media supporting him.
Few weeks ago, The News Minute had reported on how award winning journalist Rajeeena had come under vicious attacks online and threatened after she wrote about child sexual abuse in a madarassa.