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Following widespread criticism on social media over the assault of a Muslim school principal by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Telangana's Nizamabad district, the state police have issued takedown notices to several X users who shared the video. The notices said videos of the incident could "inflame passions, provoke retaliatory reactions, and adversely affect law and order."
The notices have in turn drawn criticism, with several calling it an attempt to curb freedom of expression and hinder police accountability. Several users received identical notices from X along with a letter from the Telangana police. The police letter dubbed the video of the principal's assault as one ‘disturbing public order and creating a serious likelihood of communal tension, unrest and breach of peace.’
Responding to the notice, one X user asked if it was a crime to demand accountability from the police. Journalists who were sent notices also questioned how the Telangana police was pinning the blame on journalists for reporting on the issue.
The complaints by parents over allegations of teaching Urdu to Hindu students blew up after BJP's Armoor president Vandula Balu slapped and verbally abused school principal Amer Khan during a confrontation. .
The incident happened on June 27 at Bharat Chandra School, a private institution in Armoor.
Police have booked around 20 persons, including Balu, for trespassing, threatening, and assault, while school Correspondent Mallaiah, Principal Amer Khan, and Urdu teacher Hyna face the charge of promoting religious enmity between groups (BNS Section 196).