MULUGU: Adilabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaush Alam, deployed on duty at the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara in Medaram, allegedly slapped Armed Reserve Sub-Inspector (ARSI) B Ravi Kumar, asked him to kneel down, and verbally abused him on Friday night. Ravi Kumar, who was on-duty at the time of the incident, reportedly went with his family to offer jaggery to the deities through the main entrance gate, albeit in the wrong direction. In another similar incident, SP Gaush Alam, along with an IPS officer, allegedly abused Forest Beat Officer (FBO) B Srinivas for abandoning his duty and accompanying his wife to offer prayers.
According to sources, ARSI Ravi Kumar, stationed in the Warangal police commissionerate, was assigned as in-charge of the rope party for the Jatara. Ravi’s family had visited Medaram on Friday night. Reportedly, when he permitted his family to enter the main entrance gate from the opposite direction, SP Gaush Alam noticed it and obstructed their entry. The SP then confronted SI Ravi about his departure from duty and leading his family members towards the pedestal (Gadde) in the wrong direction. Ravi explained that he intended to offer jaggery to the deities with his family. Allegedly, the SP then slapped the ARSI and insulted him. Furthermore, as a form of punishment, the SP instructed Ravi to kneel down in front of his family members and continued to hurl abuses.
Upon learning about the incident, some on-duty police officers attempted to protest at the scene. However, officials managed to disperse them.
When TNIE contacted Mulugu District Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr P Shabarish, he refuted the circulated information about the incident as false. “SP Gaush Alam did not slap the ARSI, he merely counselled him and left the scene. We asked other on-duty officers about the incident, and they too confirmed the same,” SP Shabarish said. TNIE’s attempts to contact ARSI Ravi Kumar for comment were unsuccessful.
In the second incident, SP Gaush Alam allegedly abused FBO B Srinivas from Eturunagaram of Mulugu district, in front of his wife Lavanya during the Jatara. Srinivas was assigned to work at the Jatara, and his wife visited Medaram to offer prayers to the deities. The incident surfaced on Sunday after Lavanya released a video on social media platforms.
“We had requested the duty officer managing the VVIP queue line, explaining that I suffer from back pains and cannot stand for prolonged periods of time, and that he should allow us to go through the VVIP line along with my husband. The duty officer agreed, however, upon spotting my husband in uniform within the queue, an IPS officer pulled him away by the collar. Despite my pleas and even falling at his feet, he disregarded our requests. Subsequently, the IPS officer escorted my husband to the camp office where SP Gaush Alam subjected him to verbal abuse,” Lavanya alleged.
Speaking to TNIE, FBO Srinivas said that he reported the incident to Mulugu District Forest Officer (DFO) Rahul Jadhav and lodged a complaint, providing an explanation to the DFO, who in turn assured him that the matter would be addressed with higher authorities.