TDP Polit Bureau member Varla Ramaiah on Wednesday accused the State Police of foisting a fabricated FIR against former Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao at the behest of the YSRCP leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.
At a press conference, Mr. Ramaiah said video footage of the attack was evidence that the TDP leader was addressing the media in the forest over 14 km away from where a clash had taken place. “It is nearly an hour’s drive between the two places,” he said.
Mr. Ramaiah said when the YSRCP activists attacked Mr. Umamaheswara Rao, the DSP and the SP were in a meeting with the DGP at the A.P. Police Headquarters in Amaravati. “The DSP came to the spot only after 8 p.m. and he could not bring the YSRCP activists under control. The police officials did not allow Mr. Umamaheswara Rao to make a complaint that there was an attempt to murder him and his vehicle was surrounded by armed YSRCP activists,” said Mr. Ramaiah.
Mr. Ramaiah said that Mr. Umamaheswara Rao did not open the doors of his car which saved his life.“Had he stepped out of his car, he would have been murdered in cold blood,” said the TDP leader.
He further alleged the police officials were telling the TDP leaders that they would not be able to save their lives from the YSRCP leaders. “This conversation was recorded. The DGP should explain why the Police Department is helpless when it comes to controlling the ruling party goons,” he demanded.
The TDP leader said that the police took Mr. Umamaheswara Rao away in a vehicle to the remote Pedaparupudi police station and later shifted him to the Nandiwada police station where a CI, an SI and three constables spoke to him and an FIR was recorded based on an alleged complaint received from a Dalit youth, whom Mr. Umamaheswara Rao had never seen before.
“Mr. Umamaheswara Rao has been booked under the non-bailable sections of the SC, ST Act and under 307 ,” he pointed out and alleged that the police were for portraying the victims as attackers. “The police officials knew the facts but they had surrendered to the orders of Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy,” he alleged.
