HYDERABAD: Justice T Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court has directed the Station House Officer (SHO), Markoor Police Station in Siddipet district, to issue notices under Section 35(3) of the BNSS to 21 persons accused of performing “purification ritual” (cleansing a road) with turmeric water after Dalits had allegedly walked on it.
Justice Madhavi Devi was hearing three lunch-motion writ petitions filed by the accused, who faced arrest in connection with three FIRs registered by Markoor police on September 10.
On September 8, the Congress cadre staged at protest against alleged objectionable and unparliamentary remarks made against the Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker by BRS legislators during the recent Assembly session. During the programmes, participants walked from Vardarajupur village towards former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s Erravalli farmhouse as part of the “Veyyi Dappulu Chappudu”.
Police said that the petitioners subsequently sprinkled turmeric water on the road near the Hanuman temple at Vardarajupur and cleansed the path on which Dalits had walked.
The three FIRs name Kotha Srinivas Reddy and six others, Balaraju Kammarri and five others, and Konthan Balamani and seven others. The petitioners told the court that they were willing to cooperate with the investigation and sought protection from arrest. Justice Madhavi Devi directed the police to proceed in accordance with law.