YouTuber Praneeth Hanumantu arrested in Bengaluru over ‘inappropriate’ remarks against child

The 29-year-old YouTuber is accused of participating in "vulgar" discussions about a father-daughter relationship on a YouTube podcast.

Published on: Jul 11, 2024, 17:59:09 IST

By Yamini C S

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On Wednesday, a 29-year-old YouTuber was arrested in Bengaluru in connection with an FIR lodged against him for allegedly making "inappropriate" remarks about a child, according to the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, news agency PTI reported.

Hanumantu is being brought before a local magistrate in Bengaluru to obtain a transit warrant for his transfer to Hyderabad. (Pinkvilla)

Praneeth Hanumantu, originally from Andhra Pradesh and currently residing in Begumpet, was identified as the main suspect in the FIR filed on July 7 at the Cyber Crime police station in the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, as stated in a release accessed by the agency.

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The release noted that Hanumantu had been evading authorities since the issue came to light. The case centres around a group of individuals who were involved in "vulgar" and "obscene" discussions about a father-daughter relationship during a YouTube podcast, the release stated.

Hanumantu is being brought before a local magistrate in Bengaluru to obtain a transit warrant for his transfer to Hyderabad. Authorities are also working to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the case, the report said.

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The FIR was initiated on July 7 after Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka vowed strict consequences for those found guilty of abusing children on social media, which was highlighted by Telugu actor Sai Dharam Tej.

Tej had earlier taken to social media to express, “Monsters like these go unnoticed on the very much utilised social platform doing child abuse in the disguise of so-called Fun & Dank. Child Safety is the need of the hour.”

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The actor had tagged the chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in a plea for action against such disturbing content on social media. In response, Revanth Reddy and Bhatti Vikramarka expressed their gratitude to Tej for bringing the matter to their attention and reaffirmed their commitment to ensure child safety as a top priority for the Telangana government.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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