HYDERABAD: “The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.” The organisers of a Hyderabad-based ‘fight club’ appear to have missed that memo. Promoted on social media under the tagline “No Rules – Just Fists”, the event charged Rs 199 for spectators and Rs 349 for participants before attracting the attention of the Malkajgiri cyber crime police, who have now registered a case against the organisers.
Police said the organisers were allegedly promoting and conducting a ‘brutal fight club’ in which participants engaged in physical combat using their fists. According to Saroornagar police, the organisers had conducted similar events in the past and a case had earlier been registered against them for a programme which nearly 300 people had attended. They had also sought permission from the Saroornagar police to conduct another event on Sunday. However, the application was rejected, and the proposed event was subsequently cancelled.
The cybercrime case was registered on Saturday, based on a complaint lodged by M Narender, a constable attached to the Social Media Unit of the IT Cell. In his complaint, Narender stated that while monitoring social media content, including reels, shorts and online links that could affect public safety and societal interests, he came across an Instagram account allegedly operated by one Purvik Munugapati.
Upon examination, he found reels depicting unregulated and potentially dangerous physical fights between individuals. Police said the videos appeared to promote violence and posed a serious risk to participants.
The complainant further stated that a linked website was advertising “Season One – Series Two” of the event under the tagline “No Rules – Just Fists” and promoting a fight event scheduled for June 14 at Saroornagar.
The organisers were charging `199 for watching the bouts and `349 as fight-entry or boxing-registration fees. Promotion was also reportedly being carried out through WhatsApp broadcast groups. Sources said over 300 people, including spectators and fighters, had signed up for the Sunday event.
Women urged to join club: Police
Police said that in one of the reels, Purvik allegedly invited people interested in learning boxing to attend the fight club and encouraged women to participate as well.
According to the complaint, the organisers appeared to be conducting and promoting physical combat events for monetary gain without any apparent regulatory oversight.
Such activities, police said, could endanger participants, encourage violence and adversely affect public safety and law and order.
Based on the complaint, Malkajgiri cyber crime police registered a case under sections 125, 223 and 217 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.