Social media-fueled extremism: How ‘Rama Rajyam Army’ was built and busted

Hyderabad: Attracting people through a YouTube channel started in 2022, offering a Rs 20,000 salary to join ‘Rama Rajyam Army’, designing and stitching a uniform through a local tailor, and knocking the doors of Rangarajan, chief priest of Chilkur Balaji temple, and assaulting in broad daylight, revealed Cyberabad police who are probing the assault case. The Cyberabad police have arrested five accused, including two women from Khammam and Nizamabad districts and identified over 25 gang members on Monday.

Investigation revealed that the prime accused, Kovvuri Veer Raghava Reddy, started ‘Rama Rajyam’, a social media channels on Facebook and a YouTube channel in 2022. He posted Bhagavad Gita slokas and motivated people to join the Army to protect Hindu Dharma. He reportedly announced that individuals registering between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 would be recruited into the ‘Rama Rajyam Army’ with a salary of Rs. 20,000.

YouTube recruitment, uniforms, and assault

In response to this post, 25 members first met the accused on 24 January 2025 at Tanuku. After four days, they traveled to Kotappakonda, where they contributed Rs. 2,000 each for uniforms stitched by a local tailor. On 6 February 2025, after receiving the uniforms, they gathered in an independent house in Yapral, Hyderabad, and took photos and videos in uniform with the organization's backdrop. On 7 February 2025, they traveled to Chilkur in three vehicles and committed the crime.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ch. Srinivas, Rajendranagar Zone, Cyberabad commissionerate, said on 7 February 2025 at 8:00 AM, about 20-25 people clad in black uniforms went to the residence of Sri Rangarajan, chief priest of Chilkur Balaji temple. They demanded him to support them financially and recruit people into the ‘Rama Rajyam Army’ and assaulted him. The matter came to light on 8 February 2025, and upon Sri Rangarajan’s complaint, a case was registered.

All accused have been identified, and on the same day, 8 February 2025, the founder of the Sri Ramarajyam organization and prime accused, a 45-year-old Kovvuri Veer Raghava Reddy, a resident of Manikonda, native of Koppuru village, Annaparthi Mandal, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh(AP), was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.