Vijayawada, July 2 (IANS) Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday visited the residence of Kranthi Kumar, a Dalit youth who recently died by suicide due to alleged police harassment.

Jagan Mohan Reddy assured the bereaved family that the YSR Congress Party would stand firmly by them and fight until justice is delivered.

Kranthi Kumar, who died by suicide after recording a selfie video detailing months of police harassment and naming former Krishnalanka Circle Inspector Nagaraju and other police personnel, has become another tragic symbol of the collapse of the policing system in Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan said while addressing the media after meeting the family.

YS Jagan met Kranthi Kumar’s wife, children and father, consoled them and listened to their account of the repeated harassment that Kranthi Kumar endured at the hands of the police.

Describing the family’s condition as heartbreaking, he said they are living in extreme poverty in a small house, with three young children now left without their father.

Kranthi Kumar, a taxi driver who was under 40 years of age, had no conviction against him. Minor cases registered nearly eight years ago had already been closed and no punishment had ever been imposed. Yet, despite this, he was forced to report to the police station every day for nearly three months, subjected to continuous harassment that ultimately drove him to take his own life.

Such incidents demonstrate how dangerously the police system has deteriorated, he said. YS Jagan pointed out that Kranthi Kumar himself explained everything in his recorded dying declaration, stating that he had been summoned to the police station every day for three months, subjected to harassment, and forced by the police to do things he should never have been compelled to do. Despite such a clear video statement, no action has been taken against those responsible, he said.

He noted that this incident occurred in the state capital, within a short distance of the Chief Minister’s residence, the Vijayawada Police Commissioner’s Office, the Director General of Police’s Office and the Home Minister’s Office. Even after Kranthi Kumar’s father personally showed the dying declaration video to the Police Commissioner following his son’s death, no action was initiated. YS Jagan questioned why those responsible continue to be protected.

“A protection racket is operating in the capital itself. Former CI Nagaraju is protected by the Commissioner, the Commissioner is protected by the DGP, and the DGP is protected by the Chief Minister,” he said.

Referring to the disappearance of CCTV footage from Krishnalanka Police Station, YS Jagan said two deaths had occurred within a month under the jurisdiction of the same police station, one custodial death and one suicide. Yet, mandatory CCTV footage from the police station has vanished. One remand report states that footage from May 1 to June 1 is unavailable, while another report says footage for the past 18 months is missing.

He questioned how CCTV footage from a police station could simply disappear and asked whether no backup systems existed.

According to him, this clearly indicates that illegal activities are being systematically carried out inside police stations, where people are assaulted, tortured and even killed, while complaints are simply ignored and discarded.

YS Jagan criticised the government for failing to register a case despite the seriousness of the incident and said an SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act case should have been registered.

He questioned what answer the government would give to the devastated family and assured them that the YSR Congress Party would provide every possible assistance, including legal support, and would fight in court if necessary to ensure justice.

–IANS

ms/dan