BRS MLA held for 'threatening, abusing' police official in Hyderabad

Some BRS leaders, including former minister T Harish Rao, were detained by the police when they went to meet Reddy at his residence, even as party workers raised slogans.

Hyderabad: The police in Hyderabad arrested BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy on Thursday for allegedly threatening, abusing, and obstructing a police official. On Wednesday Kaushik Reddy went to Banjara Hills police station to register a complaint. He forced the SHO to register the complaint while the police official was on his way out to attend to some other important work.

The police later filed a case against the MLA for threatening the police official, leading to his arrest on Thursday. BRS leaders, including former minister T Harish Rao, faced detention when they attempted to protest against the arrest at Kaushik Reddy's residence.

According to DCP-West Zone, SM Vijay Kumar, on Wednesday afternoon at around 3 pm, as the inspector from Banjara Hills Police Station was leaving the station for an emergency field duty, a group of people led by P Kaushik Reddy suddenly approached the vehicle, demanding that he get out immediately. They then stopped the movement of his vehicle by parking another car in front of it. Though the inspector, caught unaware of the happenings, informed them that he is on a time-bound emergency duty on the field and that they can submit their grievance to the admin sub-inspector at the PS or wait for his return.

But, without caring for the request, the persons instigated by Kaushik Reddy not only started obstructing the inspector’s vehicle but also started abusing the officer and threatening him.

“As the situation was going out of control, the inspector got down from the vehicle and called them to his office and heard their grievance. He could not attend to his official duties on the field. Even inside the office, Kaushik Reddy and others have resorted to abuses and threats to the officer without any reasons. Based on the complaint given by the inspector, a case in Cr No 1127/2024 has been registered for the offences of unlawful assembly; using force for obstructing the duties of a public servant; criminal intimidation; wrongful restraint; public nuisance; and rioting against P Kaushik Reddy and others. The DCP stated that they are conducting an investigation and will take legal action against Kaushik Reddy and others.

BRS has called for a protest on Friday against these arrests. BRS workers in large numbers had gathered at Gachibowli police station, where Harish Rao was kept.