Popular playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada has become the target of intense cyberbullying after her husband, actor-director Rahul Ravindran, made comments about the mangalsutra tradition during promotions for his upcoming film.
While promoting his directorial venture “The Girlfriend”, starring Rashmika Mandanna and releasing tomorrow, Rahul said that wearing a mangalsutra should be a personal choice and shared that he had given his wife the freedom to decide whether or not to wear one.
However, his statement triggered a massive backlash online, with trolls attacking Chinmayi and flooding her social media with abusive comments.
In response, Chinmayi tagged Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar and the Cybercrime Division, urging them to take swift action against those spreading hate and harassment.
The Hyderabad Police soon acknowledged her complaint and confirmed that an investigation was underway.
The Bigger Question: Can Police Rein in Twitter Spaces Hate?
The controversy has reignited concerns about the toxic culture spreading on Twitter Spaces (X) — live audio sessions where users often resort to vulgar and abusive language, particularly targeting women.
Although X claims that Spaces are user-generated and not directly moderated by the platform, many argue that this lack of regulation allows hate speech to flourish unchecked.
Chinmayi, instead of ignoring the insults, joined the abusive Space herself, confronting the host and participants head-on.
She noted that several individuals who used vulgar language and applauded such comments were reportedly based in Telangana, and that the Space itself was being operated from the state.
By tagging Sajjanar directly, Chinmayi’s move has sparked a serious debate about the limits of online accountability. Can state police act against international platforms like X that allow such abuse to spread?
This case could set an important precedent for how India tackles cyber harassment and enforces accountability on global social media platforms operating within the country’s digital space.
