GUNTUR: A 28-year-old person died allegedly after beaten up by police for coming out of `non-emergency' work during lockdown leading to tension in Sattenapalli town in Guntur district of the State on Monday morning.
Police said that the deceased was suffering from a chronic heart ailment and denied that the victim was beaten by them. They claimed that the deceased collapsed when the police confronted him for coming out of the house during the ongoing lockdown.
Mohammed Ghouse, a resident of Venkatapati Colony in Sattenapalli, came out of his house in the morning and was returning home after reportedly purchasing medicines around 8.40 am when police stopped him.
The police allegedly beat up Ghouse for coming out without any reason. Ghouse, a heart patient, collapsed
there itself and was shifted to a private hospital where he was declared dead. Enraged over this, locals of Venkatapati Colony staged a protest in front of the Sattenapalli Urban police station demanding action against the policemen responsible for the death of Ghouse.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Guntur) K Chakravathi rushed to Sattenapalli and pacified the agitating locals and assured action against the policemen, if they are found guilty.
Locals, who withdrew the agitation, later took the body of the deceased from the hospital and once again staged a protest on the main road leading to tension. Senior police officials rushed to the spot and are monitoring the situation.
Guntur Range IGP J Prabhakar Rao said that Ghouse was suffering from a heart ailment and collapsed when he was confronted by the police for coming out when the lockdown is in force. However, he added that a departmental inquiry will be conducted and if any policeman was found guilty, action will be taken.
Opposition leader and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu condemned the police action leading to the death of Ghouse and demanded exgratia to the family of the deceased. YSR Congress MLA from Sattenapalli Ambati Rambabu also demanded action against the police officials responsible for the death of the youngster.