Following a call given by local trader associations and civil society groups, bandh was observed in Sompeta on Tuesday opposing the magisterial inquiry conducted by Joint Collector E. Sridhar over the killing of two persons in police firing on July 14.
The bandh went off peacefully as shops and establishments were closed voluntarily.
Hundreds of people gathered near the MRO office to express their feelings that they were opposing the magisterial inquiry.
They said the Joint Collector was not the competent authority to find out the mistakes of Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and Collector N. Srikanth.
As many as 30 persons explained what was happened on July 14 when police had opened fire against the agitators who opposed the establishment of power project. They alleged that the police had indiscriminately indulged in lathicharge and firing on the unarmed persons.
Locals' demand
Some of them demanded that the Joint Collector should conduct the inquiry in villages instead of Sompeta since many people were busy with agricultural activity.
Paryavarana Parirakshana Sangham expressed its displeasure for confining the inquiry to 30 persons though hundreds of people were ready to explain their grievances and consequences to be faced by them after the establishment of power project.
Judicial probe
“Truth will come out only if a judicial probe is ordered. Junior officers will not dare to give adverse report against powerful people like Minister and Collector. Moreover, the Joint Collector had not given adequate publicity over magisterial inquiry,” said B. Dhilli Rao, general secretary of Paryavarana Parirakshana Sangham.
Meanwhile, family members of the deceased persons Krishna Murthy and Jogarao demanded that the probe be conducted in villages Palasapuram, Baruva and other places. Joint Collector assured that their request would be considered during the next phase of inquiry.
