Greater Chennai Corporation mayor R Priya has lodged a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime police against a social media user for allegedly using an AI-generated image of her in an obscene manner and posting derogatory, sexually coloured remarks about her.
Sharing her ordeal in a video posted on her official social media account, Priya accused ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionaries of repeatedly targeting her because she is a woman in public life.
“Just because I am a woman holding this post (as Mayor), I have been continuously targeted by the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionaries. It is because of these kind of comments, my personal life is getting affected. I wanted to ask the chief minister (C Joseph Vijay) that is this what your government wants to do for women? You say you are guardian of women, but continuously I have been targeted by TVK cadres who call themselves as ‘Virtual Warriors’ in social media and make critical remarks about me,” she alleged in her video.
According to the complaint filed with Commissioner of Police A Amalraj, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing superintendent of police and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, Priya said she was a law-abiding citizen and a public servant currently serving as mayor of the Greater Chennai Corporation.
Noting that she hails from a Dalit community, Priya said she had been targeted by a social media user with the handle @YarlMyn, who goes by the name Yaazh Mynthan on the social media platform X and had allegedly made ‘grossly offensive, obscene and derogatory’ posts against her.
“The post depicts me in an inappropriate and obscene manner, misuses my image and carries derogatory captions and sexually coloured remarks. It levels baseless and false allegations against my character and conduct. There is not an iota of truth in any of them. The post to my knowledge was posted on October 20, 2026 (Tuesday) and has since been viewed and circulated widely on social media platforms,” Priya said in her complaint.
The post had allegedly caused severe mental anguish and deeply hurt her family members, who were compelled to witness this vulgar depiction. It was also an insult to the office of the mayor and to the people of Chennai, she claimed.
Priya asked the TVK government whether it was acceptable to speak obscenely about her and continuously disparage her simply because she was serving in public life. “Should women not engage in public life?” she asked.
She also questioned why no appropriate action had been taken against the perpetrators despite her previous complaints to the police.