Custodial death sparks protest

By Our Staff Reporter

KHAMMAM, OCT. 31. A joint action committee of Dalit organisations and political parties staged a protest here today denouncing the lock-up death of a Scheduled Caste youth, picked up by the Khammam railway police in connection with a case of chain- snatching.

They prevented postmortem till late in the evening demanding a judicial enquiry into the incident besides booking the railway sub-inspector and constables concerned responsible for the incident under Section 302.

The protesters alleged that the youth had been in wrongful confinement for the past 12 days before he was tortured to death even after yielding to the demands made by the police. Some elected representatives also had campaigned for the release of the youth from the illegal confinement of the railway police, but to no avail. They wanted payment of an ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs to the bereaved family. As the protesters laid siege to the mortuary at the district headquarters hospital, the situation turned tense and police were deployed in a big way to avoid untoward incidents.

Iteri Tara, wife of the deceased who joined the protest with her two children, charged the police with murder. She said three policemen whisked away her husband from their house in Kothagudem at 8-20 p.m on October 19. She said she and her children prevailed upon police constables in a bid to

prevent them from picking him up in night time but in vain.

She tried to know his whereabouts but the police kept her in the dark. They did not inform her about the death of her husband even though she happened to visit the station on Tuesday morning. She said she would not settle for anything less than immediate arrest and dismissal of the police personnel responsible for the murder of her husband.

The Khammam Revenue Divisional Officer, Mr. Koti Reddy, who conducted the preliminary enquiry, recorded her statement and assured her of the assistance she was entitled to from the administration. The Railway authorities assured the protesters of immediate action against the policemen concerned.

Mr. Govind Singh, Railway Police Superintendent, said he would recommend action against the sub-inspector, Ravider Reddy, and two constables - Sivaji and Koti Reddy of the railway police station.

Leaders of all political parties condemned the lock-up death.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Businessman kidnapped for Rs. 2-cr. ransom
Next     : CM greets people