HYDERABAD: A round table conference on ‘Justice for Mariamma’s lockup death’ was held at the Press Club in Somajiguda on Sunday. During the conference, SC rights activists demanded that the State government should arrest the police officers involved in the custodial death of an SC woman at Addagudur police station in Yadari Bhongir district. They also demanded that the government immediately dismiss the errant officials from service to prevent such incidents in the future.
In his opening remarks, Akunuri Murali, who moderated the discussion, said that Mariamma succumbed to custodial torture on June 18. “It has been 23 days since Mariamma was murdered and everyone knows who the murderers are. If it was a normal person, the murderer would have been arrested by now. Committing atrocities against SCs and getting away without any punishment has become a common phenomenon,” said Murali.
Member of the National Commission For Scheduled Castes (NCSC), K Ramulu, found fault with Rachakonda Commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat for not being aware of the custodial torture. “The police should be booked under IPC 302, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and under the Nirbaya case,” said Ramulu.