Congress demands inquiry into ‘torture’ of dalits

Party puts the blame on Superintendent of Police Vishwajit, one SI and 18 constables

TPCC vice-president Ponam Prabhakar, party SC Cell chief Areypally Mohan meeting the victims at the Civil Hospital in Rajanna Sircilla District on Monday.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded the State Government to order for an inquiry into the “illegal arrests” and “third-degree torture” of dalits and others of Jillela and Nerella villages on the charge of setting fire to sand-laden lorries recently in Ramachandrapur village of Thangallapalli mandal in Rajanna-Sircilla district.

The TPCC delegation led by its SC Cell State chairman Arepalli Mohan, former ZP chairman Adluri Laxman Kumar, former Minister Suddala Devaiah, former MP Ponnam Prabhakar, town Congress president Karra Rajashekhar and others visited the government headquarters hospital in Karimnagar town on Monday where the villagers are being treated in the prison cell.

‘Illegal detention’

The TPCC leaders expressed shock over the “illegal detention” and “inhuman thrashing” of villagers, allegedly by Superintendent of Police Vishwajit K, one SI and 18 constables for more than two days at a secret location. The victims were terrorised and unable to stand and speak before the Congress leaders because of the injuries.

Talking to newsmen, Mr. Mohan flayed the Rajanna-Sircilla police authorities for beating innocent villagers on the false charge of setting fire to the sand laden lorries. He alleged that the police had also threatened the victims of registering cases against their women family members in drug smuggling cases if they lodge complaints.

Accident, the trigger

It may be recalled that on July 2, a villager Bhumaiah, 60, native of Nerella village, was killed in a road mishap by a speeding sand-laden lorry at Ramachandrapuram in Thangallapalli mandal. Following this, the villagers allegedly gathered in large numbers and set fire to some lorries. During the period, they also caused injuries to the policemen who rushed to the spot to pacify the agitators. On the night of July 4, at around 11.30 p.m., the police arrested the accused - Penta Banaiah, Gandham Gopal, Chepyala Bala Raju, Kola Harish, Pasula Eshwar Kumar, Cheekoti Srinivas, Korukanti Ganesh and Bathula Mahesh of Nerella, Jillela and Ramachandrapur villages - allegedly shifted them to a secret location and beat them up. The Congress leaders flayed the police officials for supporting the sand mafia and torturing innocent villagers, who they alleged were not involved in the setting fire to the lorries. They also ridiculed the Minister for Municipal administration K Taraka Rama Rao, dalit TRS legislators and MPs for not visiting the village and inquiring about the incident.