Telugu Actress Takes Legal Action Against Online Harassment Campaign
A prominent Telugu actress has filed a formal complaint with Cyberabad police. She alleges a coordinated campaign of online harassment targeting her personally. The disturbing pattern began on December 23 last year.
The Trigger: A Public Statement on Personal Freedom
The actress stated she became the target after giving a televised interview. She expressed her views on personal freedom for women in the film industry. This came in response to another actor's public comments about actresses' clothing choices.
"I respectfully expressed my opinion in favour of individual choice," the complainant told police. "I spoke as a fellow celebrity who enjoys public recognition." She explained that media persons approached her for a response at a clothing mall inauguration.
Escalation and Widespread Abuse
Following her interview, the situation escalated rapidly. The original actor held a press conference on December 24. He specifically mentioned the actress by name and referenced her views.
After this, several media channels and content creators amplified the debate. They began targeting the actress directly. Social media users started sending her sexually abusive and obscene messages.
The complaint details a torrent of insults across multiple platforms. It alleges:
- Abusive language describing her body in disgraceful terms
- Posting of AI-generated vulgar content
- Large-scale defamatory commentary from influencers and media persons
Legal Intervention and Police Action
The actress waited, hoping the abuse would subside. Instead, the volume of derogatory messages increased. This prompted her to seek legal intervention through Cyberabad police.
On Monday, cyber crime investigators registered a criminal case. They named 42 individuals as accused, including:
- Social media influencers
- Operators of various social media handles
- Television anchors and media persons
- The director of an education society
- A TV artist
- Administrators of accounts on X, Instagram, and YouTube
- Social media handles of some news media outlets
The complainant provided substantial evidence to police. She furnished details of over 30 hyperlinks. These pointed to reels, shorts, and live streams containing the alleged offending content.
Charges Filed and Investigation Underway
Police registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. The charges include:
- Sexual harassment (Section 75 BNS)
- Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (Section 79 BNS)
- Forgery for purpose of harming reputation (Section 336(4) BNS)
- Criminal intimidation (Section 351 BNS)
- Defamation (Section 356 BNS)
- Relevant sections of the IT Act (66-E and 67)
A cyber crime investigator confirmed active steps in the case. "We are writing to social media platforms for removal of the objectionable content," the officer said. "We are also working to identify all the accused persons involved."
The 40-year-old actress remains determined to pursue justice. Her case highlights the serious consequences of online harassment campaigns targeting women in the public eye.
