Why was L&T Metro official arrested on the orders of Telangana politician Revanth Reddy?

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has admitted to ordering the arrest of a senior official from L&T, the company that operates the Hyderabad Metro Rail, after the official stated that the Congress government’s decision to offer free travel for women in RTC buses had impacted occupancy and resulted in losses to the company. The official reportedly fled to Mumbai after being arrested. Revanth Reddy defended the decision, saying the official made a “politically motivated” statement to defame the government. He also issued a stern warning to fans of actor Allu Arjun, stating that anyone staging an unpermitted protest would be jailed. On the topic of modifications to the Telangana Thalli statue, Revanth Reddy defended the changes, saying the “hand” on the statue symbolized showering blessings to the people, similar to other deities such as Gautam Buddha and Shirdi Sai Baba. The admission of the arrest and warnings suggest a concerning disregard for freedom of speech and criticism in the state.