In a disturbing turn of events, a group of individuals believed to be affiliated with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) allegedly attacked the Mahanews channel headquarters in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills on Saturday afternoon. The assault is said to have been triggered by the channel’s critical reporting on BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) and the unfolding Telangana phone tapping controversy.
Mahanews Managing Director Vamshi confirmed the incident and stated that the attackers identified themselves as BRS supporters. “They stormed into the office and questioned our coverage, saying we were targeting their leader with false information,” he revealed. His statement clarified the political link behind the aggression.
The phone tapping scandal, which has already sparked national attention, is being probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India. The SIT has been interrogating several key figures, including former SIB chief Prabhakar Rao, who was recently brought back from the United States for questioning. Several media houses, including Mahanews, have been extensively reporting on the case.
Tensions flared shortly after KTR took to social media to criticize some of the reports. Soon hours later, the Mahanews office was attacked, raising serious concerns about press freedom and political intimidation.
Though the news network sustained some property damage, the Telangana government acted swiftly. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to visit the channel’s premises. He was accompanied by MP Anil Kumar Yadav and MLC Balmoor Venkat, who met with Mahanews personnel and promised them maximum support and protection. Authorities have already arrested five or six suspects, and further investigation continues.
The attack has been strongly condemned by political leaders from across parties. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was in shock and termed the attack as “blow to democracy and freedom of the press.” He underlined that such action should not be accepted in a democratic society.
AP Education Minister Nara Lokesh also criticized the incident, while Jana Sena Party Chief and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan voiced strong disapproval. In his statement, Pawan Kalyan remarked, “Media has the right to question and report. If anyone disagrees, there are democratic ways to express it—violence is not one of them.”