Date:02/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/02/stories/2005010204900400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Irate Congress workers hold up traffic

MAHABUBNAGAR, JAN. 1. Irate Congress workers and residents of Panagal mandal headquarters, 80 km from here, staged a dharna and held up vehicular traffic for 12 hours demanding action against four police personnel who allegedly assaulted two Youth Congress leaders in an inebriated condition late last night.

Reports reaching here said the angry Congress workers and residents withdrew their sit-in only after the Wanaparthy DSP, Nagaraju, assured them of initiating action against the guilty after an enquiry.

Two constables of Andhra Pradesh Special Police, one civil constable and a home guard, allegedly accosted the Youth Congress leaders -- Suresh Babu and Narasimha Reddy - while they were on their way to the agriculture fields. The victims complained that they were stopped near the village temple by the policemen and questioned where they were going. Even before they replied, the police allegedly beat them up and left the place.