Telangana Man Attacked After Post On Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Death

A young man was allegedly attacked by a group of people in Telangana's Mahabubnagar district over a social media post regarding the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While police have arrested nine individuals in connection with the attack, all have since been granted bail.

The victim, B Santhosh Kumar, who runs a small footpath shop near the Government Hospital, said that the trouble began after he shared a post on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook about the death of an Iranian leader.

"A few days ago I posted a story on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook about the person who died. It was just a personal post, and not many people even watch my stories," he said.

However, the post was reportedly shared in a local group, leading to a targeted attack at approximately 9:00 PM while he sat outside his shop.

"Around 9 pm, about seven people came to me first. Suddenly, they started beating me, pushed me to the ground, and kept stomping on me," Santhosh alleged. He said more people joined the assault soon after.

"After that, another 10 to 15 people joined them. In total, around 20 to 25 people kept hitting and kicking me. I begged them to stop, but they didn't listen," he said.

Santhosh Kumar suffered injuries on his neck, back, and lips during the assault. He said a nearby shop owner intervened and helped save him.

"A man from the opposite shop came and rescued me. If he had not stepped in, I might have lost my life," he said.

The victim also claimed that some of the attackers later returned to the area searching for him.

"Even around midnight they came back and were asking people where my shop was. Friends warned me not to go outside, as they were looking for me," he said, adding that he now fears for his life and wants police protection to reopen his shop.

Police confirmed that the attack was linked to a dispute over a social media post.

"On the night of the 1st, one individual commented on a group regarding a death. Believing that he commented, around 11 people attacked him physically as a group," said Mahabubnagar DSP Venkateswarlu.

He added that most of the accused have already been arrested.

"Out of the 11 accused, nine have been arrested and are in our custody. We are searching for the remaining two, and they will also be produced in court," the officer said.

Police have registered cases under sections related to assault, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and instigation.

The officer also appealed to people not to spread sensitive posts on social media, especially during the festive season.

"Since it is the month of Ramadan and festivals like Holi and Ugadi are being celebrated, we request everyone to celebrate peacefully. If anyone sees objectionable posts, inform the police instead of taking the law into their own hands," he said.

Police said they have increased night patrols and surveillance in the area to prevent further tension.