A young woman’s decision to speak publicly about years of online harassment has resonated across India, sparking conversations about digital safety, perseverance and the often slow road to justice.
Amulya Sharma recently shared on Instagram that she was harassed by a former classmate for almost six years through a barrage of abusive and derogatory emails. She posted screenshots and videos describing her experiences and said the messages continued relentlessly over the years, leaving her distraught and exhausted.
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Her video it quickly gained attention online, reaching over 16.5 million views. Thousands of users responded with support messages urging her to take legal action. Buoyed by the response, Sharma said she lodged a complaint with the cybercrime portal on January 26 after carefully documenting her statement and preserving evidence.
She has also approached the National Commission for Women and filed complaints through public complaint portals hoping that the matter will be looked into. With the help of the Broseph Foundation, she prepared a detailed complaint containing 55 annexes along with written statements, audio notes and supporting material which she submitted to the police.
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When progress seemed slow, Sharma said she approached several officials to push for movement in the case. An FIR was finally registered on January 30 with reference to the email addresses allegedly used to send the messages.
In a follow-up update, Sharma said she was informed – by someone who had contacted her through direct messages offering to help – that the accused had been arrested about two weeks after the FIR was lodged and was currently in jail. Authorities have not publicly confirmed further details.
She ended her video with a message that resonated with many viewers: “This victory is not just mine, this victory is for every girl who lives under this terror every day like I do.”
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In the caption accompanying the post, Sharma reflected on the moment, writing, “I can’t believe it’s finally happening! It feels surreal. But this is for every girl who asked me for help, and for the girls who encouraged me to complain again, and for the brothers who said they were with me. Together we did it. But it’s still just the beginning!”
In a later update, she added a cautionary note, acknowledging that legal processes can be long and uncertain. “This is just the beginning because he could get bail or this case could drag on for years, but the first step is a victory in itself!”
Social media users flooded the comments section with messages congratulating her and expressing pride in her determination. While many celebrated the arrests, others pointed to deeper concerns, questioning why victims often have to fight so hard to be heard.
The user wrote: “I’m sorry you had to go through so much to see the end, but I’m glad you finally could!”
“How sad is the state of affairs in the country that no action will be taken if the victim herself does not respond. We are happy, really, but it sucks that justice is not being served even to women who are not privileged enough,” wrote another user.
“I’m glad he got to spend his Valentine’s Day where he deserves to be,” wrote a third.
“Glad it’s finally halfway through! Let’s climb the second half! More power to you,” wrote a fourth.
“Felt so good!!!!! It felt like a personal victory…you can get on with your beautiful life normally,” wrote a fifth.