BHUPALPALLY: The Bhupalpally police, who registered a case based on a complaint lodged by engineering officials regarding the damage to the piers of Medigadda barrage, on Tuesday said that they can come to a conclusion regarding the cause only after the expert committee submits its report. The police have formed special teams to probe into the incident.
The Bhupalpally police, it appears, were in confusion after registering a case and issued different press releases regarding the incident on Tuesday. In a press release issued earlier in the day, Bhupalpally Superintendent of Police Kiran Khare said: “After scientific investigation done by police teams, police have ruled out the possibility of any conspiracy or mischief. Prima facie, damage to the Medigadda barrage happened due to a structural fault. Today, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) inspected the barrage. They will submit their findings soon. As per requisition given by the Irrigation department, the police have stopped vehicular and public movement over the bridge”.
When SP’s statement was brought to the notice of Irrigation officials, a top official, on condition of anonymity, told TNIE: “How can the police conclude that it is a structural fault?”The point the official was making was that the police were not competent to decide whether it was a structural defect or not.
Later, the SP was quick to retract his statement. The second press release was silent on the ‘scientific investigation done by the police’ and the ‘structural fault’, going on to say that the police would come to a conclusion only after the expert teams gave their report. In the first release, the SP ruled out the possibility of any conspiracy’. But, the second release was silent on ‘conspiracy’.
However, based on the complaint given by the Irrigation officials, the police registered cases under IPC Section 427 and under Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. According to the police, the officials expressed doubts that the government property might be damaged by unknown offenders.
Investigation begins
Based on the complaint given by the Irrigation officials, the police registered cases under IPC Section 427 and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act