BRS activist re-arrested over political retweet minutes after release from jail

Hyderabad: BRS social media activist Shashidhar Goud, also known as Nalla Balu, was re-arrested by Ramagundam police on Thursday morning, minutes after walking out of Karimnagar prison. The arrest, linked to his retweet of a political post from the official BRS handle, comes despite bail granted two days earlier.

The Additional District Court in Godavarikhani had ordered his release on Tuesday. However, police from Ramagundam booked him in a separate but related case, invoking a fresh FIR.

Shashidhar had initially been arrested on June 29 by Karimnagar Cyber Crime police, who acted suo motu. The retweet triggered at least five FIRs across Karimnagar, Ramagundam, Hyderabad, and Godavarikhani.

BRS leaders claim he spent 16 days in custody merely for sharing a political post that, according to them, contained no abusive or false statements. A police team that attempted to arrest him on Wednesday evening had to retreat after a crowd gathered outside the prison.