HYDERABAD: Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy spoke to the Director-General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy on Saturday to take action the police personnel who thrashed two power staffers in Nalgonda on Friday. The Energy Minister, who represents Nalgonda, has requested the police to not obstruct the power employees from discharging their duties. Even on Saturday, some women employees were obstructed by the police when they were on their way to work at 10.30 am. The police sent the women employees back home.
According to Telangana Electricity Employees Union (1104) State vice-president N Venkataiah, a junior assistant Pridhviraj was caned by the police at Ramagiri centre in Nalgonda on Friday, while he was returning home from work. An artisan Sankar of Nampally, who was returning home after collecting the power bill, was also beaten up by the police on Friday, he said. The police even refused to verify the ID card of the artisan, the union leaders alleged.
TSSPDCL Superintending Engineer of Nalgonda P Krishnaiah said that there have also been instances were power employees were being beaten by the police while the former were attending to power breakdowns and regular official duties. Protesting against the high-handedness of the police, the power employees refused to rectify the lines of 11 kV feeders, which broke down in Nalgonda town on Saturday.