Hyderabad, April 12: Pictures purportedly showing lathi-wielding Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists checking IDs of people at a check-post amid coronavirus lockdown in Telangana triggered a row. The images were reportedly clicked on Thursday near Gudur check-post in Bibinagar. The pictures showed at least seven persons donning in RSS uniform - khaki trousers, white shirts and black caps - and carrying lathis, as they "checked" the documents of those seeking to cross the barricades. Coronavirus Tracker Live News Updates on April 12.

A Twitter account - Friends of RSS - shared the pictures on April 9 and tweeted: "RSS volunteers helping the police department daily for 12 hours at Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district checkpost in Telangana (sic)." Soon the images went viral on social media platforms with people seeking to know who gave permission to RSS members to check documents of citizens. "Has law enforcement in Telangana been handed over to the RSS?" one user asked. Lockdown in India to be Extended by 2 More Weeks, PM Narendra Modi Agrees With State CMs in Video-Conference on COVID-19.

Men in RSS Uniform Checking Documents of People:

Reactions to Pictures:

Social activist S.Q. Masood expressed concern and tagged Telangana Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy and Rachakonda Commissioner of Police Mahesh Bhagwat and sought clarification. "What is going on?? Is this police check post or RSS?" he asked in a tweet. On Saturday, the police clarified that RSS members don't have permission to man the checkpoints.

"A few photographs of men in RSS uniforms and holding lathis on a highway on the outskirts of Hyderabad have now gone viral on social media. This is the job of the police and we can do it. No permission has been given," Rachakonda Police Commissioner M Mahesh Bhagwat said in a statement. According to a report by The News Minute, the RSS workers had only shown up on Thursday, and did not return since Friday, after the police's request.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2020 01:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).