Facebook founder stalked by Indian-origin fan

LONDON - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said he feared for his safety after an obsessed Indian-origin fan stalked him on his own social networking site and tried to contact him, a media report here said.

Pradeep Manukonda, 31, bombarded the internet billionaire with online messages, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

Manukonda allegedly flooded Zuckerberg, 26, with emails and even sent him flowers and a hand-written note.

Zuckerberg has now obtained a restraining order banning Manukonda from going within 300 yards (about 280 metres) of him, his sister Randi Zuckerberg and his girlfriend Priscilla Chan.

Zuckerberg filed legal papers claiming the stalker had tried to “follow, surveil and contact Zuckerberg using language threatening his personal safety”, gossip website TMZ claimed.

Manukonda is said to have tried to visit Zuckerberg at Facebook offices in Palo Alto, California, to ask for money for his family.

According to the legal documents, Facebook security also caught Manudoka at Zuckerberg’s modest four-bedroom home in Palo Alto Jan 24.

According to the report, police gave Manukonda a verbal warning but Zuckerberg claims he has continued to contact him through email and with a hand-written letter dated Jan 28.

The hand-written note reads: “Thank you for your valuable time and attention towards my problem.

“I am indeed very grateful to you. If I get a chance to work with you in the near future it would be my honour. I know I am working with a man of values. Thank you for being a source of inspiration to all of us.”

In one of his Facebook messages to Zuckerberg, Manukonda writes: “I owe my entire life at your service. Please help me, then I am ready to die for you. Please understand my pain.”

Manukonda has been asked to stay at least 300 yards away from Zuckerberg by a judge, pending a hearing later this month.