YSR Congress Party chief and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy speaks with the media after meet the household of John Victor. (PTI)
The incident occurred in Tenali city after the three males — Chebrolu John Victor (25), Sheikh Babulal alias Karimulla (21), from Tenali and Doma Rakesh (25), from Mangalgiri — have been allegedly thrashed in public by the Tenali town-II police. A purported video of the incident surfaced on social media on May 26, triggering sturdy criticism from human rights teams and the YSRCP. All three accused are from underprivileged sections of society.
The accused have been arrested in relation to a case registered on April 25 on the premise of a criticism lodged by constable Kanna Chiranjeevi. The constable alleged that the accused had attacked him the earlier night time close to Aithanagar in Tenali city, reportedly attributable to prior enmity and his function in summoning them for counselling in a drug-related case.
On Tuesday, Jagan met the households of the accused and informed reporters that he strongly condemned the high-handedness of the police for beating the youths up in full public glare and for shaming them and their households.
“The three men only questioned a constable who was in civil dress in connection with a local clash. If they were at fault, they should have been arrested and produced in the court, but the police cannot take law into their hands,” he stated.
However, Jagan’s go to to Tenali triggered a tense environment within the city. Several activists belonging to Dalit and different folks’s organisations held a street blockade opposing Jagan’s go to. They shaped a human chain on the market centre as a mark of protest.
“When a man from the Dalit community, Nuthakki Kiran, was murdered during the YSRCP regime in the same town, Jagan never came to call on the family of the victim. Now, he is standing in support of rowdy-sheeters. This is outrageous,” a Dalit activist stated.
In response to Jagan’s go to, the TDP lashed out on the YSRCP chief for calling on the households of the Tenali youth.TDP MLA MS Raju questioned how a former CM might affiliate with ganja gangs, rowdy-sheeters, and anti-social components.
“Visiting the families of the rowdy sheeters reflects Jagan’s criminal mindset. This is shameful behaviour. He consoles criminals, but never those who made sacrifices for the nation or the state. Not once has he consoled any public activist or freedom fighter,” Raju stated.
He recalled that a number of Dalits had suffered from atrocities underneath Jagan’s rule. “Did he ever visit or support families like those of Subrahmanyam, a driver who was killed by YSRCP MLC Anantha Babu, who door-delivered the body to his family? What was Jagan doing when the police had beaten up Dalit medical professional Dr Sudhakar, whose crime was only to demand supply of surgical masks for the doctors during the COVID pandemic?” he requested.
The TDP launched the checklist of circumstances pending in opposition to the three Tenali youth, a few of which have been filed even through the earlier YSRCP regime. “John Victor has nine cases against him, including illicit liquor trade, theft, kidnapping, forgery, assault, and attempted murder, while Rakesh has cases of harassment of women, kidnapping, theft, assault, and attempted murder; and Karimulla was accused in a constable murder attempt case,” the get together stated.
Meanwhile, Jagan alleged that the TDP authorities was utilizing the police to indiscriminately file false circumstances in opposition to YSRCP leaders, MLAs, leaders and cadres. “Now, innocent youth are being tortured. The patience of people is being tested by such activities,” he added.
Former minister and one other TDP lawmaker Nakka Ananda Babu stated Jagan must be ashamed of supporting ganja sellers, drug peddlers, and prison gangs. “Going to Tenali to support rowdy-sheeters is disgraceful,” he stated.
