‘Clog the toilet’: Racist online campaign targets Indians on H-1B visas
New York: Indian tech workers holding H-1B visas have become the target of a racist online campaign coordinated on far-right forums such as 4chan. The campaign, dubbed “Clog the Toilet”, reportedly seeks to disrupt flight bookings for Indians returning to the United States after vacationing in India.
The tactic involves reserving multiple seats on India–US flights and initiating the checkout process without completing payment. By repeatedly doing so, the campaigners temporarily block genuine passengers from purchasing tickets, leading to inflated fares.
The development follows former President Donald Trump’s September 21 announcement of a a$100,000 fee on H-1B visas, triggering panic among Indian professionals abroad. Many rushed to book tickets back to the US, fearing the new fee would apply to their re-entry.
One such passenger, Austin-based software engineer Amrutha Tamanam, said she struggled to secure a flight to Dallas on Qatar Airways and eventually paid nearly $2,000—more than double the original round-trip fare.
Posts on 4chan and Telegram contained racist slurs against South Asians, with users boasting about “wrecking Jeets” by blocking seats. Messages urged participants to “clog the flight reservation system” to keep Indians from returning.
Despite the online claims, an Air India spokesperson said the airline’s website had not experienced any disruption.
To ease concerns, the White House clarified that the $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B petitions.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed: “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter.”
The campaign has raised fresh concerns about the intersection of immigration policy, racism, and online extremism in the United States.
***OPERATION: CLOG THE TOILET - UPDATE***
— CEO of Based (@UncyClaudius) September 20, 2025
4chan autists have now created automated scripts to overbook Indian flights.
If you're technically inclined, you can follow along using Postman! #CLOGTHETOILET pic.twitter.com/nplpaNwhAZ
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Minor girl kidnapped and raped; main accused and two cafe owners held
Latur (PTI): A minor girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by an 18-year-old man in Latur, leading to the arrest of the main accused and owners of two cafes where the crime occurred on December 4, police said on Saturday.
Police traced the girl within hours of registering the complaint. The accused, identified as Rihan Gulab Shaikh, was arrested based on the girl's complaint. Two others are owners of two cafes where the crime occurred, police said.
Police registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), POCSO Act, and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, an official said.
