Indian Powerlifter Keya Banerjee Faces Online Harassment

Indian young powerlifter Keya Banerjee, who gained global attention with her impressive performance, has revealed that she is facing online harassment. Keya won a silver medal at the IPF World Sub-Junior Powerlifting Championships and went viral after deadlifting 140 kg, more than three times her body weight, at just 21. However, she said the sudden popularity has also brought distressing experiences, including sexual harassment on social media and the creation of fake accounts in her name.

In a detailed Instagram post, Keya said offensive discussions about her race, lineage and caste have also left her disturbed. She added that thousands of AI generated images using her face and body are being circulated without her consent, causing severe discomfort. Keya said she has never shared photographs from personal accounts on social media and that her previous Instagram account, which had around 300 followers, was suspended. She created a new account to speak out and said she felt compelled to address the issue publicly to stand up for herself.