TheWire’s Omar Rashid accused of rape; platform’s ‘love jihad’ stance under fire

New Delhi: Independent journalist Omar Rashid, a regular contributor to TheWire, is facing serious allegations of sexual abuse, physical violence, and mental harassment following a viral social media post by a Hindu woman who claims to be his former partner.

In a statement released late Wednesday, TheWire acknowledged the allegations and confirmed that an internal inquiry has been initiated. 

“The Wire has taken serious note of the grave allegations against Mr Omar Rashid, who has been contributing as an independent journalist for the past couple of years. We will be conducting an inquiry as per relevant laws and procedures applicable in the matter and decide on how best to move forward to address the allegations raised in the post,” the publication said.

The Wire's statement on the grave allegations against one of our contributors, Mr. Omar Rashid: pic.twitter.com/eeZZWkntp8

— The Wire (@thewire_in) May 21, 2025

The allegations surfaced in an Instagram post by an unnamed Hindu woman who described in detail what she claims was a prolonged and abusive relationship with Rashid.

According to the post, the relationship allegedly began under the guise of shared political ideals and mutual respect in progressive media circles, but quickly turned into a pattern of coercion, sexual violence, and emotional abuse.

The woman claims she was subjected to repeated assaults, non-consensual acts, and humiliation, including instances of being beaten, manipulated, forced to eat beef, and degraded.

She also accused Rashid of psychological manipulation and repeated violations of consent, some of which, she said, caused physical harm requiring medical attention.

While the woman emphasised that her ordeal should not be reduced to a communal narrative, several pointed out to the hypocrisy of the platform which has been denying the existence of ‘love jihad’ for several years.

Full letter from the survivor speaking out on sexual abuse:

The Wire's editorial board has stated that it will proceed in accordance with due process and applicable legal frameworks.

Meanwhile, voices within the journalistic fraternity are calling for transparent handling of the case and a broader reckoning on how institutions across ideological lines address allegations of abuse from within.