Published Jun 29, 2026 | 7:46 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2026 | 7:46 PM
BJP and BJYM leaders marching in Armoor on Monday. (Credit: Facebook)
Synopsis: Telangana Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS in Nizamabad’s Armoor town on Monday after a BJP counter-protest against a bandh called to demand justice for the assault on school principal Amer Khan during a row over Urdu classes. Armoor MLA Paidi Rakesh Reddy was stopped from reaching the town ahead of the rally and was heard making communally charged remarks about the school staff during his confrontation with police.
The Telangana Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the equivalent of the former Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), in Armoor, Telangana’s Nizamabad district, after tensions escalated on Monday, 29 June, following a counter-protest rally organised by the BJP and its youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).
The rally was organised in response to a bandh called by several Muslim groups.
The orders prohibit gatherings of more than five people and will remain in force until 6 pm on Tuesday. Police have also banned bandhs, protests, rallies and road blockades across the Nizamabad Police Commissionerate on 29 and 30 June as a precautionary measure to prevent any breach of the peace.
The BJP and the BJYM demanded action against the management and teachers of Bharat Chandra High School for allegedly teaching Urdu to students without parental consent.
The rally followed Saturday’s incident, in which BJP Armoor Town President Mandula Balu led a group of party workers into the school premises and assaulted principal Amer Khan during a confrontation over the Urdu classes.
A video of the assault, showing Balu striking and abusing Khan while police personnel stood by without intervening, circulated widely on social media and triggered widespread public criticism.
In response, several Muslim groups and student organisations called for a bandh in Nizamabad district, demanding justice for Amer Khan. The BJP and BJYM organised the counter-protest march, which passed through Armoor town before stopping at the offices of the Mandal Education Officer (MEO) and the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
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Armoor Police on Monday arrested Mandula Balu for allegedly assaulting Khan. He remains in police custody. Reports suggest he was picked up from Armoor MLA Paidi Rakesh Reddy’s guest house in Ankapur.
He has been charged under Sections 329(4), 115(2), 118(1), and 324(4), read with Section 3(5) of the BNS, covering offences related to assault, criminal intimidation, and voluntarily causing hurt, based on a complaint filed by school correspondent Mallaiah.
An FIR was also registered against Khan, school correspondent Mallaiah, and Urdu teacher Umme Hani for allegedly promoting enmity by teaching Urdu to students, despite Urdu being Telangana’s second official language.
Separately, in a move that triggered backlash, Telangana Police issued takedown notices to X users who shared the viral video showing BJP leaders abusing Amer Khan on the school premises.
Nizamabad Commissioner of Police P Sai Chaitanya visited Armoor on Monday to monitor the situation.
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Armoor MLA Paidi Rakesh Reddy was scheduled to attend the BJP march but was stopped by police at the Bhiknoor toll plaza while travelling from Hyderabad to Armoor.
In a video of the standoff, Reddy can be heard making communally charged remarks about the school staff.
“They are the ones who do religious conversions. They are the ones who have connections with the ISI. They are the ones disturbing peace in Armoor. How can you stop me from going to my constituency?” the MLA asks the police from the front passenger seat of his car.
#ఆర్మూర్ పట్టణంలో చేపడుతున్న #హిందూ_ర్యాలీ కి మద్దతుగా హైదరాబాదు నుండి వస్తుంటే భిక్నూర్ టోల్ ప్లాజా వద్ద #పోలీసుల_అడ్డగింత pic.twitter.com/nS9utfL9jy
— Paidi Rakesh Reddy MLA (@MLA_RakeshReddy) June 29, 2026
Reddy later held a press conference criticising the police and the ruling Congress government in Telangana. He alleged that preventing an elected representative from visiting his constituency was undemocratic.
Reddy also condemned the bandh called in support of Amer Khan. “It may be wrong to slap someone. But it could have been settled personally. There was no need to bring in hundreds of hooligans from Hyderabad to disturb peace in Armoor,” he alleged.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
