Police 'excesses' drive youth to suicide in Andhra Pradesh, SP denies charge of kin

Family members alleged that the police targeted the boy as he was the only one beaten, out of all his friends.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

VIJAYAWADA: Munnagi Rajasekhar Reddy (26) allegedly died by suicide at Paritala village under the Kanchikacherla police station limits on Thursday night. He jumped into Krishna river and his family members alleged that he took the extreme step after police beat and humiliated him over a social media post. 

Krishna district SP M Ravindranath Babu said Rajasekhar was caught late on Wednesday night while he was playing cards with his friends and taken to Kanchikacherla police station. Police seized two motorcycles and five mobile phones from them. “He (Rajasekhar) and his friends were brought to the police station very late at night. Since they got station bail, police released all the five and called them the following night to take their things,” the SP said. 

However, his family members alleged that the Kanchikacherla police targeted Rajasekhar as he put a post on social media platforms lauding a local TDP leader who helped him in his release. “After he put the post, local YSRC activists informed the matter to the police. When Rajasekhar went to the police station on Thursday night to collect his things, the police beat and humiliated him. Felt depressed, he resorted to the extreme step,” the family members said.

Following the incident, his aunt Kamareddy Saraswati attempted suicide by consuming sanitiser. She was rushed to a private hospital. His family members staged a protest in front of the police station demanding justice.

Speaking to TNIE, the SP clarified that there was no truth in the allegations levelled by Rajasekhar’s family members against Kanchikacherla police that they beat him for no reason. “In his post, he alleged that he was not released along with his friends and sought TDP leader’s support. We just gave him counselling that it was not correct to post such things online without verifying the facts as it would tarnish the image of police. Rajasekhar seemed to be very sensitive and might have taken the extreme step over the issue. Nandigama DSP was instructed to conduct a departmental inquiry into the incident,” the SP said. 

Suicide Helpline 
OneLife: 78930-78930
Roshni NGO: 040-66202000

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