Man arrested for assaulting IT employee and female colleague from another faith in Hyderabad

The Hindu

2 days ago

A 24-year-old bike-taxi rider was arrested by Saifabad police for assaulting a man and a woman near the Ambedkar statue on NTR Marg in Hyderabad and circulating a video of the incident on social media in a manner intended to provoke communal hatred.
The incident occurred at around 3.45 a.m. on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) when the accused, Mohammed Raheel, intercepted an IT employee and his 24-year-old female colleague from a different community as they were heading home.
DCP (Central) K. Shilpavalli said that Raheel approached them on his two-wheeler, began filming without their consent, and questioned the woman about being with a man from a different religion.
'He used abusive language, issued threats, assaulted both individuals, and threw a helmet at the man in an attempt to injure him. The victims fled the scene on their bike, but Raheel followed them and continued recording until they reached the Himayatnagar area,' said the DCP.
On July 30, the man lodged a complaint with Saifabad police station and a case was booked under sections 196, 74, 79, 352, 115 (1), 126 (2), 131, and 351(3) of the BNS Act and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.
The video, which was later posted on Instagram and X, attracted attention and sparked communal commentary, putting the safety of the victims and their families at risk. The DCP said that the video exposed their identities, violated their privacy, and could lead to law and order issues.
Raheel was traced using CCTV footage and apprehended near Charminar. During questioning, he confessed to the offence. His mobile phone and two-wheeler were seized.
'No one has the right to moral police others or harass people for their personal choices under the guise of religion or ideology. This was not just a privacy violation but a deliberate act to stir communal sentiments,' said the officer.