Thiruvananthapuram: Right‑wing commentator and RSS ideologue T G Mohandas was taken into custody from his residence in Mattancherry on Sunday and brought to the city where the Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police formally recorded his arrest, police said.
Investigation by cyber police
The action follows an FIR registered by the Cyber Police alleging that videos uploaded on Mohandas’s YouTube channel contained derogatory, violent and provocative remarks aimed at students who staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi last month. A team from the Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police visited Mohandas’s home in Koovappadam near Mattancherry, accompanied by local officers, before detaining him and transferring him to Thiruvananthapuram, officials said.
Police said they seized details of the YouTube channel and digital devices that were allegedly used to create or upload the clips and that Mohandas will be questioned as part of the probe.
Allegations and charges
The FIR cites multiple statutory provisions from the new Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Information Technology law and state police regulations. According to the FIR, the remarks were intended to incite violence, disturb public order and create fear among the public.
| Provision | Allegation covered |
|---|---|
| BNS Section 192 | Provocation with intent to cause riot |
| BNS Section 353(1)(b) | Statements conducive to public mischief |
| IT Act Section 66 | Computer‑related offences |
| Kerala Police Act Section 120(o) | Public order violations |
Police sources said the complaint that prompted the FIR was filed by the Students Federation of India (SFI) with Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar. The SFI alleged the comments crossed the line of political opinion and amounted to incitement to violence and a threat to the democratic right of peaceful protest.
Content of the contested videos
The FIR quotes passages from the videos that provoked outrage. The allegations include assertions recommending a strict curfew in the protest area and the use of lethal force if demonstrators did not disperse. The complaint also attributes statements about women and protesters that SFI described as demeaning and inflammatory.
“If I were in charge, I would enforce a curfew, warn protesters to disperse and, if they refused, order firing,”
Other passages cited in the FIR allegedly contained comments that suggested several protesters should be killed or maimed and that their bodies could be taken to hospitals — language that, the complainants say, amounted to a call for violence.
Reactions and public response
The charged remarks have generated condemnation and demonstrations. The SFI, along with student organisations AISF and DYFI, organised protests calling for stringent action against Mohandas. At the same time, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) publicly distanced itself from the remarks, describing them as the personal views of the commentator.
Police said the investigation will determine whether the statements meet the legal test for incitement or public mischief and whether additional sections will be invoked. Officials declined to comment on further procedural details while the probe is ongoing.
Legal and civic context
The case highlights the growing role of cyber units in policing allegedly inflammatory online content. Under the provisions invoked in the FIR, authorities may examine intent, the likely impact on public order and whether the material was disseminated with knowledge that it could incite violence.
- Who filed the complaint: Students Federation of India (SFI).
- Investigating agency: Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police.
- Location of detention: Koovappadam, Mattancherry; arrest recorded in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Thiruvananthapuram cyber unit has in recent years handled cases ranging from data breaches to alleged hate speech online, citing public safety and order. As the probe proceeds, any charges will be framed in line with evidence gathered from digital devices and the content of the videos.
Authorities have advised restraint and warned against actions that could escalate tensions while the investigation continues. The matter is likely to be watched closely by student organisations, civil liberties groups and political formations in the state given the national attention the Jantar Mantar protests have attracted.
Further developments, including any formal chargesheet or court appearances, will be reported as the police complete their inquiry.
