The Telangana DGP rapped certain TV channels on Thursday for the violation of the Cable Television Network Act for repeatedly telecasting gory visuals of violence, in the wake of two brutal crimes that occurred in Telangana in a span of six days.
In a press release issued on Thursday, DGP Mahender Reddy asked certain TV channels to stop the repeated telecast of violent content in the name of ‘honour killings’ on screen, which can provoke violence, leading to more such incidents in the society. The press release states that such telecasts stand in gross violation of the program code under the Cable Television Networks Act of 1995.
“The management of all TV channels are requested to follow the programme code as prescribed under the Cable TV Networks Act, in telecasting any content in the interest and well-being of the society,” the press note reads.
Under the Programme Code prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, no programme which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes should be carried by the cable service.
The warning comes in the wake of two brutal caste-based crimes in the state. On September 14, Pranay, a man belonging to a lower-caste community, was brutally hacked to death in Miryalaguda — in a conspiracy hatched by his wife’s father. The couple married in January against their parents’ wishes. While Pranay’s family accepted the marriage, Amrutha’s father, Maruthi Rao, opposed the union, primarily because of caste differences. Pranay was hacked to death in broad daylight outside Jyothi hospital in Miryalaguda, where he had come along with his wife for a check-up.
Even as the incident remained fresh in the minds of the public, another inter-caste couple was brutally attacked by the woman’s father on a busy road in Erragadda in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The accused, Manoharachari, who was in a highly inebriated condition, attacked the duo with a sickle and fled the spot. His daughter Madhavi’s condition continues to be critical while her husband, Sandeep suffered minor injuries. The accused was caught and has been remanded to judicial custody.