Indian man arrested for creating app that auctioned Muslim women online

Unidentified Muslim women walk past a board displaying the name of the Hindu nationalist group Sri Ram Sena Hindustan in a residential neighborhood in Belagavi, India, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP)
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Updated 10 January 2022
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Indian man arrested for creating app that auctioned Muslim women online

LONDON: Police in India arrested a 25-year-old man on Sunday suspected of creating an app that published photos of more than 80 Muslim women for “sale” online.

The app, Sulli Deals, was created last July and had taken publicly available pictures of women and created profiles, describing the women as “deals of the day.”

The man, Aumkareshwar Thakur, was arrested after a similar app, Bulli Bai, uploaded photos of more than 100 Muslim women online. Four 21-year-old students were arrested in connection to the Bulli Bai app.

“Om Thakur has been arrested from Indore. He is the main mastermind behind the Sulli deal app case,” said K.P.S. Malhotra, deputy commissioner of police, Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations Unit, Delhi Police Special Cell.

There was no actual sale on the apps, but the purpose was reportedly to degrade and humiliate Muslim women, some of whom were journalists, activists, artists, and researchers and particularly outspoken about the rising tide of Hindu nationalism.

“Sulli” is a derogatory Hindi slang term that right-wing Hindu trolls use for Muslim women, while “bulli” is also pejorative.

Both apps generated heavy outrage online, with women repeatedly complaining to the police that their photos had been uploaded without their permission.

The photos included one of a Bollywood actor and the 65-year-old mother of a disappeared Indian student.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”