Amaravati, Jan 19 (IANS) YSR Congress Party leaders staged a dharna in front of the DGP’s office after police refused to grant them an appointment to submit a complaint regarding the brutal murder of the party’s Dalit activist Manda Salman.

YSRCP leaders said they were denied permission to meet Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta, forcing them to protest outside the office, after which an Additional DGP finally received their representation.

Former minister Merugu Nagarjuna stated that Salman’s killing was a “government-sponsored murder” and demanded a CBI probe.

He said police not only failed to register a proper FIR on the murder but also shockingly booked a case against Salman himself.

He added that leaders were initially not even allowed to see Salman’s body and that police responded only after YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said he would personally come and perform the burial.

He questioned what was happening in the state, stating that even serious crimes against women and children were not being registered and that the Constitution had been replaced by a ‘Red Book rule’.

Former MLA Kasu Mahesh Reddy said Andhra Pradesh had descended into lawlessness, where even after the murder of a Dalit activist, police failed to act against the attackers and instead filed cases against the deceased. He said Salman’s family was obstructed from performing the last rites according to religious customs and that authorities went to the extent of demanding Aadhaar cards even for burial. He announced that YSRCP would approach the High Court through a PIL and continue its struggle until justice is delivered to Salman’s family.

Former minister T.J.R. Sudhakar Babu said YSRCP leaders were humiliated at the DGP office and questioned whether the DGP was working for the people or acting as an agent of Chandrababu Naidu. He recalled rampant attacks on Dalits, demanded Rs 1 crore compensation to Salman’s family and called for action against MLA Yarapathineni Srinivas Rao.

Former minister Vidadala Rajini accused police of abandoning their constitutional duty and serving Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh. She said that SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities have no protection, that TDP goons are committing murders, and that even common citizens cannot enter police stations without political clearance.

MLC Mondithoka Arun Kumar said the killing of a Dalit activist exposed the government’s true face and called upon Dalits to unite against what he termed “barbaric rule”.

Former minister Ambati Rambabu said police conduct in the case was deeply controversial, that repeated attempts to submit a complaint were ignored, and that the protest was forced upon them. He demanded a high-level inquiry and immediate relief for Salman’s family.

–IANS

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