Mumbai, Feb 19 (IANS): Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has now deactivated his Twitter account as he is receiving threatening messages to stop the release of his film 'The Kashmir Files'.

He has posted a long letter on his social media handle mentioning the reason and requesting fans to give him support.

He wrote: "A lot of people are wondering if my Twitter account is suspended. No, it's not. I have deactivated it. Here is why: Since I started the campaign of #TheKashmirFiles, Twitter shadow banned me. My followers dropped drastically and most of my followers couldn't see any of my tweets. On top of that, my DM was filled with vulgar and threatening messages (by you know who)."

He further mentioned that he can handle all these situations very well but he thinks there can be involvement of some external forces behind these threat messages.

"It's not that I can't handle such elements, but it seemed there were many Pakistani & Chinese bots. However tough you may be, it's mentally testing to be surrounded by such intense hate and threats for your family. And all this fatwa, threats, abuses..for what?"

He added: "For Making an honest film on the pain and sufferings of our Kashmiri brothers & sisters? Are they rattled that the truth may come out? The ugly world of social media has given power to lot of evil elements. And our silence gives them hope to succeed. #TheKashmirFiles breaks that silence. Loud and clear."

Agnihotri explained how in his movie he has tried to bring out the truth of what happened in Kashmir and expose terrorism.

"I have always spoken against India's enemies. #The KashmirFiles is an attempt to expose inhuman terrorism that has destroyed India's most sacred land of Shiva & Saraswati. And now religious terrorism is making inroads in mainland India. That's why they want people like me silenced."

He asserted despite getting all these threats he will continue to speak the truth.

"I always speak for those who can't be heard. I have been exposing many untruths and fake narratives by anti-India Urban Naxals. They want to silence me. But I know very well that silence helps tragic events like Kashmir Genocide. They must know that I can't be silenced. I thank all my followers and fans for your love and support. Love. Always.VRA"

'The Kashmir Files' is a true story, based on video interviews of the first-generation victims of the persecution experienced by Kashmiri Pandits which led to their exodus.

Written and directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, the exodus drama features Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi and Chinmay Mandlekar.

Produced by Zee Studios and Tej Narayan Agarwal, Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, 'The Kashmir Files' is scheduled to release in theatres on March 11.