On January 27, 2024, approximately 200 employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's forest department gathered to protest the exclusion of 200 senior employees with over 20 years of experience from the regularization of employment, despite the regularization of 162 junior contractual workers. Their dissatisfaction led to a hunger strike in Tirupati, seeking equitable treatment and regularization of their employment status. However, on January 30, 2024, Tirupati Police intervened, detaining several protesters and forcibly removing them from the protest site. Additionally, protesting union leaders and workers were taken to Ruia Hospital, Tirupati, under police custody. This incident, widely covered in the media, underscores the delicate balance between the fundamental right to protest and state intervention, raising concerns about potential reprisals against activism.

The right to peaceful assembly and protest is a cornerstone of democratic societies, as recognized by international instruments and Indian jurisprudence. While such rights are fundamental, they must be exercised responsibly and within the confines of the law. However, the reported detention of protesters by the police, viewed as an act of reprisal against their activism, highlights the need for careful scrutiny of state actions and adherence to legal safeguards protecting citizens' rights to dissent. HRDA appealed to NHRC to take suo moto cognizance and invocation of Section 12(a) of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019, to initiate an independent inquiry through the National Human Rights Commission's investigation wing and take appropriate action.