Gym Owner Booked for Harassing Woman Sub-Inspector During Ganesh Immersion in Hyderabad

Hyderabad police have registered a case against a fitness centre owner accused of misbehaving with a woman sub-inspector who was on duty for Ganesh immersion arrangements in the city.

The incident took place in the Almasguda area of South Hyderabad in the early hours of Wednesday. According to the complaint, the officer spotted a group of people who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, dancing and causing inconvenience to the public.

When the sub-inspector approached the group and asked them to leave the area given the late hour, one of the men allegedly came up to her, misbehaved with her and obstructed her from carrying out her official duties.

The man was later identified as Saketh Kumar, described as the owner of Oxygen Fitness Club.

Acting on the officer's complaint, police registered a case against Kumar under Sections 74, 75(2) and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Section 74 pertains to assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, Section 75(2) deals with sexual harassment, and Section 132 covers assault or criminal force used to deter a public servant from discharging official duties.

Meerpet Inspector B Shobhan said the accused was on the run and that police were making efforts to locate him, adding that the investigation is continuing.

The incident occurred amid extensive security arrangements for the Ganesh immersion processions, for which the city police had deployed a large number of personnel. According to Director General of Police C V Anand, 13 people, including a police sub-inspector, lost their lives during the festivities, while 26 others were injured.

Nearly 30,000 police personnel were deployed across Hyderabad for security, crowd management and traffic regulation during the 2026 Ganesh immersion processions. Across the state, a total of 1.24 lakh idols were installed in public places.