Dalit man, held for not wearing mask, dies in police custody in Andhra Pradesh

A Dalit man, who was held for allegedly not wearing a mask, died in police custody in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night. The deceased, identified as Y Kiran, was undergoing treatment for head injuries. However, he succumbed to the injuries at a private hospital in Guntur.

As per reports, Kiran and his friend, were detained by the police for not wearing masks while riding on a two-wheeler in a COVID-19 hotspot of Chirala town in Prakasam district. While Kiran’s parents claimed that he was beaten up by the police for not wearing a mask, the cops in Prakasam denied these claims and said that the youth had jumped out of the jeep on the way to the police station, which caused injuries to his head. The police further stated that the men were in an inebriated condition and assaulted a cop for questioning them. Following the incident, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

A few days ago, in yet another incident that has caused furore over the police action on Dalits, a Dalit man was allegedly humiliated and tonsured by police in Andhra Pradesh. The incident took place within Seethanagaram Police Station limits in East Godavari recently. In a tweet posted by the CMO of Andhra Pradesh, it was revealed that the Chief Minister called for an immediate probe and punitive action against the policemen allegedly responsible for the Dalit youth’s abuse. Subsequently, the Director General of Police, Gautam Sawang, suspended a Sub-Inspector and two constables in connection to the case. Further action will be taken by the DGP after a complete probe into the incident, read the tweet.

At present, three police personnel have been accused of severely torturing, assaulting, and tonsuring Indugubilli Prasad – a Dalit man, local of Munikudali village in Sithanagaram mandal. The Sub-Inspector in question has been identified as Feroz Ali.

The incident happened when one of Indugubilli Prasad’s friends reportedly got into a brawl with a lorry driver near Munikudali Crossroads, Seethanagaram on 18 July. It has been alleged that YSR Congress Party leader Kavala Krishnamurthy reached the spot and tried resolving the issue, but in vain. Prasad was arrested after an onlooker, identified as Adapa Pushkaram lodged a complaint alleging that the youth and his friends assaulted him during the brawl.

Both Prasad and his mother accused the Trainee Sub-Inspector Feroz Ali of abusing them. In an official complaint given by Prasad after his release on 21 July, he alleged that the trainee SI got his head and moustache tonsured forcefully while he was locked up in the police station. He sought treatment at the Rajahmundry Government General Hospital upon his release.