Telugu Actress Takes Legal Action Against Online Harassment Campaign
A prominent Telugu actress has taken a strong stand against online abuse by filing a formal complaint with the Cyberabad police. The actress alleges she faced a coordinated campaign of harassment that began on December 23rd. This followed her public response to another actor's controversial statements about actresses' clothing choices.
Police Register Case Against 42 Accused
Based on her detailed complaint, Cyberabad's cyber crime unit registered a criminal case on Monday. The case names forty-two individuals as accused. This list includes social media influencers, operators of various online handles, and several media professionals. The police action demonstrates the serious nature of the allegations.
The forty-year-old actress explained the sequence of events in her complaint. She stated that she became the target of widespread defamatory attacks after appearing on television. During her televised remarks, she expressed support for personal freedom for women working in the Telugu film industry. She believes this reasonable position triggered the abusive response.
Nature of the Alleged Abuse
The complaint details disturbing content directed at the actress. She alleges that several television anchors, social media influencers, and YouTube channels responded with highly abusive language. Their comments reportedly described her body in what she calls a "loathsome and disgraceful manner."
More alarmingly, the actress claims the harassers posted AI-generated vulgar content featuring her likeness. This malicious material allegedly triggered a wider wave of insults across multiple social media platforms. The volume of hateful messages grew instead of subsiding, which finally pushed her to seek legal protection.
Identifying the Accused and the Triggering Event
The actress named specific individuals and entities in her police complaint. The accused include:
- The director of an education society
- A television artist
- Multiple TV channel anchors
- Administrators of accounts on X, Instagram, and YouTube
- Social media handles operated by some news media outlets
She provided police with over thirty hyperlinks as evidence. These links point to reels, shorts, and live streams that allegedly contain the offensive material.
The actress connected the harassment to a specific public incident. On December 22nd, a Telugu actor made derogatory comments about the clothing worn by movie actresses. He reportedly used obscene words to describe women's bodies at a public event. This statement caused public outcry and sparked a heated debate.
"On December 23rd, at the inauguration of a clothing mall, media persons approached me for a response on this issue," the actress told police. "I respectfully expressed my opinion in favour of individual freedom and personal choice. I spoke in my capacity as a fellow celebrity who also enjoys public recognition in the Telugu states."
Escalation Following Actor's Press Meet
The situation escalated rapidly after her interview. The actress stated that the actor held a press conference on December 24th. During this event, he referred to her by name and specifically addressed her views. Following this, media channels and content creators began amplifying the debate by targeting her personally.
"Social media users started sending me sexually abusive and obscene messages," the complainant further informed the police. The targeted nature of the attacks and their sexualized content made the experience particularly distressing.
Legal Framework and Police Action
Cyberabad police have registered the case under multiple sections of the law. They invoked sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including:
- Section 75 (sexual harassment)
- Section 79 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman)
- Section 336(4) (Forgery for purpose of harming reputation)
- Section 351 (criminal intimidation)
- Section 356 (defamation)
The police also applied Sections 66-E and 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act. These sections deal specifically with cyber crimes and online content violations.
A cyber crime investigator working on the case provided an update. "We are writing to social media platforms formally," the officer said. "Our letters request the removal of the objectionable content. We are also asking these platforms to help identify the accused individuals behind the anonymous handles."
This case highlights the growing challenge of online harassment faced by public figures, especially women. It also tests the enforcement of India's updated legal framework against cyber bullying and digital defamation.
