Telangana Congress MLA criticised over alleged inappropriate contact with student

Hyderabad: Ibrahimpatnam Congress MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy has faced criticism after a video showing him repeatedly touching a female college student during a bus inspection in Telangana surfaced on social media.

The incident reportedly took place on a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus on Tuesday, October 6, when the 70-year-old MLA was interacting with passengers to assess the impact of the state government’s Mahalakshmi free travel scheme.

During the interaction, the student reportedly told Ranga Reddy that the scheme had helped her save around Rs 45,000 a year on her college commute. Video footage showed the MLA repeatedly holding or touching her arm and hand while speaking to her.

The student appeared uncomfortable and made attempts to pull away, but the physical contact continued, according to the footage. The incident occurred as the bus was travelling from Ibrahimpatnam towards Yamjal in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district.

The video triggered criticism from activists and political leaders after it was widely shared online.

Playback singer and activist Chinmayi Sripaada said the interaction did not require the MLA to repeatedly touch the student and stressed the importance of respecting personal boundaries and consent.

“The Congress needs to train its male politicians to keep their hands off girls. His banal conversation doesn’t need him to repeatedly touch her. It doesn’t matter how old he is — she is not comfortable, and this man has no idea of consent,” she wrote on X.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi general secretary RS Praveen Kumar urged the Telangana Police’s SHE Teams and Women Safety Wing to intervene. He also called for a complaint to be registered against the MLA under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty.

Ranga Reddy had not issued a response to the allegations when the report was published. The incident has renewed concerns over personal boundaries and the safety of women in public spaces.