Mangaluru: Anwar Manippady, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, has lodged a complaint with cybercrime authorities after reportedly receiving multiple life threats through internet-based calls.

The calls, according to Manippady, began late on Wednesday and continued into early Thursday morning, with more than ten calls made over a period of several hours.

The callers allegedly used various languages including Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, and Tulu. One of the callers, he noted, spoke in fluent British English, raising concerns about possible international links.

“These were not prank calls. The tone and language used were threatening and clearly meant to intimidate,” Manippady told. He said the threats appeared to be in reference to his past comments on Waqf properties—observations that were recently cited by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Waqf Bill.

While Manippady described the parliamentary reference as an “honour,” he expressed concern over the unexpected threats that followed. Preliminary investigations are underway, and cybercrime officials are working to trace the origin of the calls, which were reportedly made using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platforms. These platforms can make it more difficult to identify the source of the communication. Manippady, known for his involvement in the BJP’s minority outreach in Karnataka, has been vocal on various issues concerning minority communities.

He refrained from speculating on who might be behind the threats but urged authorities to act swiftly.

“Anyone who speaks up or pushes for reform should not have to fear for their safety,” he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the calls. Police sources said security around Manippady’s residence has been increased as a precautionary measure, and investigators are looking into whether the threats are linked to any of his recent public statements or political activity.

Senior BJP leaders in Karnataka have condemned the incident and called for immediate action to ensure Manippady’s security.