Tension in Hyderabad as BRS Leaders Face House Arrest

In Hyderabad, police have placed BRS Deputy Leader T. Harish Rao and other party members under house arrest to prevent their visit to the newly inaugurated Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS). This action has led to protests from BRS supporters, who accuse the government of attempting to silence opposition voices. Harish Rao condemned the detentions, alleging they are part of a broader strategy to cover up issues within the healthcare system. The situation has escalated tensions between the BRS and the ruling party, raising questions about political freedom and accountability in Telangana.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 19, 2026, 13:46 IST

House Arrest of BRS Leaders in Hyderabad

Screengrab image of BRS leader Harish Rao(Source: @citizenspulse01/X)

Hyderabad, Aug 19: In a significant development, police in Hyderabad have placed T. Harish Rao, the Deputy Leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Telangana Assembly, along with several other party members, under house arrest. This action was taken to prevent them from visiting the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS).

At Harish Rao's residence in Kokapet, tensions escalated as law enforcement officials blocked his vehicle, preventing him from traveling to TIMS, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on August 17.

Despite Rao's insistence on visiting the facility, police maintained their position, leading him to question whether the Chief Minister was afraid of potential corruption being uncovered during their visit.

In response to the police's actions, BRS supporters organized a protest, resulting in a confrontation between the police and the party's followers.

Upon hearing about the house arrest, BRS MLA Sudheer Reddy also arrived at the location to support his colleague.

The opposition party accused the government of attempting to silence dissent through such detentions and house arrests.

Other former ministers, including Sabitha Indra Reddy and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, were similarly placed under house arrest.

Harish Rao condemned these detentions, labeling them as illegal and criticizing the state government for trying to prevent the revelation of the inadequacies in the healthcare system and the government's shortcomings.

He described the house arrests as a severe infringement on the rights of leaders who are merely questioning public issues, accusing the government of creating an atmosphere akin to an undeclared emergency.

Rao further alleged that the state government was intentionally delaying the construction of TIMS hospitals, fearing that the previous Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) would receive credit for the projects initiated by the BRS government.

He claimed that the progress of super-speciality hospitals, which were conceptualized and started under the BRS administration, has significantly slowed since the Congress party assumed power.