NELLORE: Even as police officials are blaming the people of Rapur for attacking them, Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) released a fact-finding report stating that the Sub-Inspector had been harassing locals.It may be recalled that residents of Rapur Harijanawada attacked the police, on Wednesday night, in which Station House Officer Lakshman Rao and two constables received injuries.
Guntur Range IG Gopala Rao and SP PHD Ramakrishna stationed at the village, on Thursday, and collected information from the staff of the station. They took 13 people into custody on Thursday night holding them responsible for assaulting the police personnel. The SP informed that there was clear motive behind attacking the police personnel and they won’t spare anyone who resorted to such incidents. He said they would take more people into custody for taking law into their hands.
The APCLC members formed a fact-finding committee on the incident with APCLC and OPDR activists and issued a release on Friday. They said that the Sub-Inspector had been settling civil cases and hence there was a dispute between people and the police personnel. “The police behave rudely with the people and sometimes give third degree treatment. The SI abused even women and booked cases against people who approached higher officials for justice,” the release said. The committee charged that the SI failed to maintain cordial relations with locals.
“Local Dalit population who were vexed with his behaviour attacked him along with other staff,” the report said. It further said that majority of people left the habitation fearing arrests as the police personnel created panic in the area by imposing Section 144 and police picketing. The committee demanded immediate release of people who are not connected to the case.