KADAPA: Leaders of the Hindu Joint Action Committee (JAC) have demanded that a sedition case be filed against Sheikh Usman Basha of Pulivendula for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Hindu deities on social media.
According to reports, a video showing Usman Basha speaking offensively about Hindu gods circulated online, sparking outrage among Hindu JAC leaders.
The leaders confronted Basha, subjected him to physical assault, and later handed him over to the police near Pulivendula Circle. Police shifted him to the station to bring the situation under control.
Following this, Hindu JAC leaders staged a protest at the Urban Police Station, insisting on strict action against Basha.
Police officials assured them that the matter would be investigated and directed them to approach the DSP. The leaders later submitted video evidence of the alleged remarks to DSP Murali Naik.
Speaking to the media, the JAC leaders said Basha had insulted Hindu gods during a video call that went viral on social media.
They demanded that a criminal case be registered and Basha be sent to jail, stating that his comments had deeply hurt the sentiments of over 100 crore Hindus in the country. They warned that if strict action was not taken, they would launch a district-wide agitation in Pulivendula.
DSP Murali Naik assured the Hindu JAC leaders that legal action would be taken and urged them to maintain peace and avoid any untoward incidents.
Kapada district Superintendent of Police (SP) EG Ashok Kumar clarified that the controversial video circulating on social media allegedly insulting Hindu deities is not a recent one but dates back to 2022.
According to the SP, the video was originally created by Usman Khan of Pulivendula in 2022, for which he had already apologised at that time.
He further stated that Usman Khan had travelled to Kuwait in 2022, where he was jailed for 20 days due to passport issues. During his stay, he came in contact with a few people from AP through TikTok, and due to disputes with them, he made a 1.45-minute video.
The SP noted that Usman Khan recently returned to his native village in Pulivendula mandal, and it is suspected that individuals holding old grudges against him may have re-circulated the video.
Police have launched an investigation to determine who revived the video and the reasons behind its renewed circulation.