A group of unidentified men on Monday attacked scholar and social activist Bela Bhatia’s rented house in Parpa village in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar area. The men threatened her with dire consequences and gave her a 24-hour deadline to leave.

The goons, who came in an SUV and several motorcycles, barged into Bhatia’s house. “They threatened to burn the house, kill her dog and also threatened the landlady,” economist Jean Dreze told NDTV. At first, the men asked her to leave immediately. After Bhatia pleaded and sought some time, the men agreed to give her 24 hours.

Bhatia, however, managed to call the local police station. Policemen came to the spot and stopped the men from barging into the house a second time. However, no action was initiated against the attackers. Later, 15 police personnel were deployed outside Bhatia’s house, reported ANI.

Bhatia has worked in Bastar for several years. She has faced similar situations in teh past as well. In January 2017, members of a civil vigilante group burnt effigies of Bhatia, for leading a team of women activists to Sukma and Bijapur to document the violence perpetrated by security personnel on tribal women.

Several activists have published independent investigations that landed them in trouble. In January, 2016, effigies of Aam Aadmi Party leader Soni Sori were burnt. On February 4 last year, leaflets were thrown into Sori’s house in Geedam, warning her against returning to Bijapur. After repeatedly being harassed, Scroll.in contributor Malini Subramaniam left Jagdalpur. Later, a group of lawyers for the Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group had to leave the town after an imminent threat of arrest.