Indian trolls offer Muslim women for sale in fake online ‘auction’

Photos of more than 80 women were reportedly uploaded to GitHub under the title ‘Sulli deal of the day’

Police are investigating the case which victims say illustrates growing Islamophobia across the country

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Many among India’s 170 million Muslims say they feel like second-class citizens since Modi’s BJP came to power in 2014. File photo: AP

Published: 7:05pm, 10 Jul 2021Updated: 7:47pm, 10 Jul 2021

Police in India are investigating how dozens of Muslim women were offered for sale in fake “auctions” online without their knowledge, in a case the victims say illustrates growing Islamophobia across the country.

Photos of more than 80 women were reportedly uploaded in recent weeks to GitHub, an open software development platform, under the title “Sulli deal of the day”. “Sulli” is derogatory slang for Muslim women.

Hana Mohsin Khan, an airline pilot, was alerted last week by a friend who directed her to a link that led to a gallery of images of women.

“The fourth picture was mine. They were literally auctioning me as their slave for the day,” Khan said.

“It sends chills down my spine. From that day till today, I am just in a constant state of anger,” she said.

GitHub said it has now suspended the users’ accounts, saying they violated its policies on harassment, discrimination and inciting violence.

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Indian trolls offer Muslim women for sale in fake online ‘auction’

Photos of more than 80 women were reportedly uploaded to GitHub under the title ‘Sulli deal of the day’ Police are investigating the case which victims say illustrates growing Islamophobia across the country

Photos of more than 80 women were reportedly uploaded to GitHub under the title ‘Sulli deal of the day’

Police are investigating the case which victims say illustrates growing Islamophobia across the country