Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): A police inspector in Srikakulam district was placed under suspension Wednesday. The police inspector was suspended after a video clip of his purportedly kicking and abusing a Dalit man went viral.
Director General of Police DG Sawang placed Kasibugga inspector Venugopal under suspension and ordered an inquiry into the incident.
This is the third such incident in the last fortnight where some police personnel were found behaving allegedly in a high-handed manner. In all these cases Dalit men were at the receiving end.
The first incident happened in Rajamahendravaram, where a Dalit man had his head tonsured and was beaten up allegedly by the police. The second occasion was at Chirala where a Dalit man died after local police allegedly beat him up.
Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted the Srikakulam video clip. He alleged that the ruling YSR Congress men were behind the incident. However, the DGP responded saying ‘there is no involvement of any political party as alleged’.
See video: https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/1290871786708451329
The Srikakulam district SP Amit Bardar visited the Dalit man Marri Jagan’s house and enquired about the incident.
Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) Dharmana Krishna Das, who hails from the district, condemned the inspector’s high-handed behaviour. He asserted that the government was committed to the protection of Dalits. The minister informed that the Visakhapatnam Range Deputy IGP has been asked to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.
It all happened when Jagan went to lodge a complaint against an attack on him by some YSRC men. The assault came after Jagan questioned them over the house-sites issue.
The video footage shows the inspector standing outside the Tekkali town police station when Jagan approaches with his mother. As Jagan is speaking, the inspector is seen kicking and also beating him.
A video was later circulated in which Jagan claims there was nothing wrong with the inspector. It was he himself who spoke in a rash tone.
“The inspector chided me for speaking in such a tone. He was so courteous towards me. He made me sit inside the police station and gave me lunch. He cautioned me against getting into any tussle with others,” Jagan is purportedly heard saying, even as someone is heard prompting certain words.
In the video, Jagan’s mother claimed the inspector treated her like a mother and ‘he looked like my son’.