Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, daughters targeted in online attacks

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri came under a wave of online vitriol from online 'trolls', including personal attacks and the public disclosure of private information, following a recent agreement between India and Pakistan to halt military operations.

The abuse, which erupted on social media platforms over the weekend, targeted not only Misri but also his family members, drawing criticism from civil society groups and online users who denounced the personal nature of the attacks. Misri was labeled a “traitor” and “deshdrohi,” according to media reports, while several posts questioned the citizenship status of his daughters, a move that observers said crossed ethical lines.

Didon Misri, the Foreign Secretary’s daughter who resides in London and is employed by the international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, was also subjected to online attacks. Critics targeted her for her professional involvement in providing legal assistance to Rohingya refugees. In the wake of the backlash, Misri restricted access to his account on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which he had maintained prior to his appointment as Foreign Secretary.

The controversy followed the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, in which 26 people — many of them tourists — were killed. India responded with a military operation called 'Operation Sindoor'. Several users on social media urged for respectful discourse, condemning the targeting of Misri’s family and the broader pattern of digital harassment directed at public officials.

Former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao took to social media to defend Misri. Rao wrote on X, “It’s utterly shameful to troll Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his family over the India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement. A dedicated diplomat, Misri has served India with professionalism and resolve, and there is no ground whatsoever for his vilification . Doxxing his daughter and abusing his loved ones crosses every line of decency. This toxic hate must stop—stand united behind our diplomats, not tear them down.”

Action must be taken against the trolls who’ve doxxed & abused FS @VikramMisri daughter This sort of abuse has now crossed all limits

— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) May 11, 2025

First they went after Himanshi Narwal, The Wife of the Navy Officer Vinay Narwal. And now the same trolls are going after the Foreign Secretary of India, Vikram Misri and his daughter, Abusing and sharing her mobile number.

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 11, 2025