Indian Artist's House Attacked After Rape Case Painting

A female artist's residence was attacked in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Thursday night, after she shared some paintings on Facebook, expressing her anger over the Kathua rape and murder case.



According to media reports, a group of men is said to have attacked artist Durga Malathi's house in the Palakkad district.



Malathi tumbled into the eye of the storm after she posted paintings depicting male genitalia along with Hindu religious symbols, reported India Today.



The report further said that she had been the target of widespread hate speech and rape threats on social media ever since.



Police on Friday registered a case against the unidentified men and beefed up security for Malathi.



In a post written in the Malayalam language on Facebook, she said: "Those who use religion as a shield can say anything against anyone in this country."



"I now have to remind myself that I am living in a democratic country. If I don't get justice, I will have to believe that this concept of democracy in India is a big farce," she added.



She also explained through Facebook posts and live videos that her paintings were not against any religion but against those pedophiles who raped a kid.



The rape and murder of the 8-year-old Asifa Bano has created outrage in India. The girl from a nomadic Muslim herder family was grazing cattle when she was kidnapped in January. A week later, her raped and mutilated body was found in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir. -