Police Brutality: One rule for Jagan, one rule for dalit boy

A 26 year old youth named Kiran, from Cheerala, of Prakasam district, died in a private hospital in Guntur today, while receiving treatment.

Three days ago, Kiran had gone out on a bike, with his friend, and since neither of the two of them were wearing masks, Cheerala SI Vijaykumar, had reportedly beaten them black and blue. As a result, Kiran was immediately admitted to the nearest hospital. When his situation got no better, he was shifted to a government hospital in Guntur. Kiran’s situation got no better in the government hospital either, following which he was admitted to a private hospital.

Kiran’s family members are saying that the SI is responsible for the death of their son, and that he should be suspended from his duties. Many other people have also come to their support.

The police, however, have a different story to tell. The police department has said that Kiran and his friend were on their way to Cheerala from Kothapet, and were drunk and not wearing masks when they were caught by the local police at a checkpost. The two reportedly argued with the police who questioned them, after which two-town SI Vijaykumar came into the picture.

When the two young men refused to talk properly to Vijaykumar, he took them into custody, and got them into his police jeep. On their way to the police station, Kiran had tried to escape and jumped out of the jeep, which resulted in a major head injury. Prakasam district S.P. Siddharth Koushil responded on the matter, and said that Kiran’s family will be given Rs. 10 Lakhs from the government.

Despite the story that the police department has been telling everyone, what’s ironical is that the police department was willing to beat a dalit boy severely when he was not wearing a mask, but the same police department hasn’t uttered a single word against the YSRCP government when its members come outside without wearing a mask, including CM Jagan. It is high time that the police department starts making sure that the leaders of the government also start following rules.

What’s even worse is that no single member from the government has responded to this issue, including the Chief Minister. It’s time the YSRCP government actually starts to care about what’s going on in the state, and not just within themselves.