Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 15 (ANI): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) has alleged that his public relations representative Mahesh Manikayala and personal assistant Mahendar Reddy were subjected to an attack inside a police station, warning of a worsening law and order situation in Telangana.
In a post on X, KTR alleged that “lynching doesn’t always start as an act of killing” and claimed that it could begin with a “carefully planned attack” inside a functioning police station and in the presence of uniformed officials.
"Lynching doesn’t always start as an act of killing. Sometimes it starts as a carefully planned attack inside a fully functional police station, in front of uniformed officials. The way goodaism is being sponsored and enabled by state machinery, I am worried that very soon we will see acts of lynching on the streets," the post read.
Lynching doesn’t always start as an act of killing
Sometimes it starts as a carefully planned attack inside a fully functional police station, in front of uniformed officials
The way goodaism is being sponsored and enabled by state machinery, I am worried that very soon we will…
KTR further alleged that “goodaism” was being sponsored and enabled by the state machinery and expressed apprehension that such incidents could eventually lead to acts of lynching on the streets. Referring to the alleged incident involving Mahesh and Mahendar, he said that what happened to them could happen to any citizen who refused to “bow down to oppression.”
The BRS leader also accused the Congress government of failing to maintain law and order and warned that Telangana was “on the brink of absolute chaos.”
Taking a political swipe at the Congress leadership, he tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his post and wrote, “Well done Congress.”
"What happened with my PR Mahesh Manikayala and PA Mahendar Reddy inside a police station can happen to any citizen of Telangana who will not bow down to oppression Telangana is on the brink of absolute chaos...Well done, Congress @RahulGandhi," he wrote.
However, the police have rejected KTR’s allegations of an assault inside the police station.
Khairatabad Zone DCP K. Shilpavalli said that the two individuals, Mahender and Mahesh, had been called to the police station. According to the DCP, while they were present on the premises, some unknown persons claiming to be local residents entered the police station and approached the Station House Officer (SHO) seeking permission to use DJs at their Ganesh mandap.
The SHO reportedly denied the permission, following which the individuals insisted on being allowed to use DJs. According to the police account, Mahesh and Mahender were sitting inside the station at the time.
The DCP said the individuals identified Mahesh and began questioning the police, alleging that Mahesh and others had previously abused the police in front of everyone, with videos of the incident having gone viral.
According to the police, the group questioned why Mahesh and Mahender were being allowed to sit inside the police station and why the police were speaking to them respectfully while their request for DJ permission for Ganesh celebrations had been rejected.
The situation allegedly became heated, with the individuals becoming aggressive towards the police and others present at the station. DCP Shilpavalli said the SHO immediately intervened, prevented them from proceeding further and sent them away.
Rejecting the allegations of an assault, the DCP said, “The allegations that Mahender and Mahesh were beaten inside the police station are completely unfounded and false.” She added that the police had verified the CCTV footage of the premises and that no such incident was found to have occurred.
The contrasting claims have put the focus on what exactly transpired inside the police station and the circumstances surrounding the confrontation. While KTR has alleged political intimidation and questioned the role of the state machinery, the police have categorically denied that Mahesh and Mahender were assaulted inside the station.
The incident has also added to the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS in Telangana, with law and order and alleged political intimidation emerging as recurring points of contention. (ANI)
