George Floyd, an African-American, was choked to death after a white American cop pinned him down. It just took less than 9 minutes to snuff out George Floyd’s life. Back home, Dr Sudhakar Rao was pinned down on the streets in Vizag much like George Floyd in the United States. Dr Sudhakar Rao’s hands were tied to a rope. He was dragged on the streets in the sweltering heat as if he was a dead dog. The police, as shown in the videos, were seen shooing away the bystanders who tried to help Dr Sudhakar, a Dalit. Over the three weeks, the visuals have dominated headlines in the local, national and even international media.

In the video, at least four cops encircled Dr Sudhakar, one was tying a rope to his hands, another was beating him with a baton even as the doctor repeatedly pleaded, “Nannu chempastaru”(They will kill me). The bystanders watched helplessly even as Dr Sudhakar was beaten. The similarities between both the events – George Floyd and Dr Sudhakar – in the two countries are striking as are the differences.

The murder of George Floyd at the hands of the US police has shaken the collective conscience of the Americans. The US has witnessed a massive civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd.

While the US has erupted into flames over the heinous murder by a white policeman of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, people in India remained a mute spectator to the police atrocity against Dr Sudhakar whose only fault was to raise voice against the shortage of medical equipment. In the past few days, lakhs of Americans took to the streets and had bent on their knees to protest George Floyd’s killing; a symbolic imagery of his death. “Can’t breathe,” was the last words of George Floyd when a cop pinned him down with his feet on the black man’s neck. Americans took “Can’t breathe” as the slogan of protest. Their voices reverberated in the US. The wide-spread protests in the US over Floyd’s killing had even forced US President Donald Trump, as reported by the New York Times, to hide in a bunker.

In his statement to the CBI which is investigating the case as ordered by the High Court, Dr Sudhakar narrated the horrifying tale. “On May 16, I drove to a bank on in Anakapalli to deposit Rs 10 lakh towards clearing housing loan. I was stopped by a person at Kailsapuram Anjaneyaswamy temple. I noticed that two persons on a bike followed my car. I was stopped by two traffic constables. They snatched away my car keys, my wallet and Rs 10 lakh. Further, I have noticed that the cops have put three bottles of whiskey in my car. I was later beaten with lathis and they kicked me. I was taken to Four Town police station. After my mother arrived in the police station, the police shifted me to KGH hospital. After which, they declared that I am suffering from acute stress psychosis,” Dr Sudhakar stated.

Unfortunately, in India, a victim is being treated as if he is accused. He was not just pinned down and dragged on the streets, he was in fact sent to a mental asylum. For the last three weeks, the doctor is languishing the mental asylum in Vizag while his mother is running from pillar to post seeking justice. The High Court had ordered a CBI investigation, while YSRCP leader Aamachi Krishna Mohan questioned the wisdom of the court asking “Why a CBI probe into a petty case”. For Aamachi and the likes, dragging an individual does not amount to rights violation, does not amount to infringement of an individual’s right to speech and freedom of expression. It is a petty case when a doctor is beaten on the streets, treated worse than a dog, sent to an asylum. Further, the CBI took taking into account the police version had filed cases against Dr Sudhakar.

What is wrong with this society? People in India have failed to seize the opportunity to expose the excesses of the Andhra Pradesh government. They failed to unite the way Americans did to protest the injustice heaped on the black community. Why didn’t AP simmer with anger to stamp out the scourges of injustice against Dr Sudhakar. Have people in India lost their collective conscience?

– Srikanth

Dr Sudhakar Rao’s 90-year-old mother Kaveri Bai on Thursday filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court demanding that the state government produce his son before the court in the next 24 hours.

In the habeas corpus petition, Kaveri Bai pointed out that her son was illegal detained in the Government Mental Hospital in Vizag for more than three weeks without valid reason. A habeas corpus petition is filed under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution, through which the High Court can order the authorities to produce people before it to verify if they have been detained as per the procedures established by the law.

The High Court had already ordered a CBI probe into Dr Sudhakar Rao case. It may be recalled that Dr Sudhakar Rao who was working as civil surgeon in Narsipatnam government hospital was suspended by the state government for raising voice of dissent over shortage of medical equipment in government hospitals. The Andhra Pradesh police had arrested him by tying a rope to his hands, dragged him on the streets and was beaten. Further, the AP police foisted false cases against Dr Sudhakar Rao under Sections 353 for assault, criminal force and obstruction of a public servant from discharging duty, Section 427 of IPC for causing mischief and Section 506 for criminal intimidation. The CBI, which is investigating the case, has also booked cases against Dr Sudhakar based on the complaint by constable V Venkataramana who stated that the doctor had assaulted the police and obstructed the police personnel from discharging their duty. Videos clearly showed that Dr Sudhakar was pinned down on the street much like George Floyd in the United States who was pinned down to the ground by the cops there and died in less than 9 minutes. Dr Sudhkar could have been India’s George Floyd.

The AP police should explain how Dr Sudhakar obstructed the cops from discharging their duty when his hands were tied to a rope. On the contrary, Dr Sudkhakar was a helpless victim who was, as shown in the videos, was crying for help. The police, as shown in the videos, were seen shooing away the bystanders who tried to help Dr Sudhakar.

Clearly, his arrest and illegal confinement in a mental asylum is politically motivated. The Jagan government instead of protecting people’s rights to freedom of expression was creating an atmosphere of fear. “The state government is misusing its resources to target organisations and individuals who resisted its oppressive rule. The assault on my son is a grim pointer on how the state government was using the police to silence dissenters,” Kaveri Bai said.

Dr Sudhakar was a frontline warrior who risked his life every day to ensure that the rest of us don’t fall prey to this epidemic. Unfortunately, the same doctor was being harassed by the state government and his reputations ruined. Further, the state government is treating a victim as if he is the accused by foisting false cases against Dr Sudhakar. In the mental hospital, Dr Sudhakar wrote a letter stating that he feared threat to his life and that doctors were administering medicines that are used for treating mentally unsound leading to serious side-effects. The High Court asked the state government if Dr Sudkhar was in police or judicial custody

Earlier, condemning Dr Sudhakar’s confinement in the mental hospital, the Dalit leaders said is tragic, shameful, and an infringement on the right.

The Andhra Pradesh police seems to be hell-bent on trying to fix Dr Sudhakar Rao by implicating him under false charges.

The AP police levelled serious charges against Dr Sudhakar Rao of assault, criminal force and obstruction of a public servant from discharging duty. Deposing before the CBI which is investigating the case as ordered by the High Court, constable V Venkataramana stated that Dr Sudhakar Rao assaulted the police and obstructed the police personnel from discharging their duty. Based on the complaint, the CBI booked cases against Dr Sudhakar.

The Four Town police in Vizag had already booked Dr Sudhakar under Sections 353 for assault, criminal force and obstruction of a public servant from discharging duty, Section 427 of IPC for causing mischief and Section 506 for criminal intimidation. Based on this, the CBI has booked cases against Dr Sudhakar and uploaded the FIR on its website.

The CBI had already booked cases against the police and government officials under IPC 120B, 324, 343, 379 and 506 after the High Court ordered investigation into Dr Sudhakar’s case who had earlier been suspended for publicly criticizing the failure of the government in providing N95 masks to the doctors treating Covid-19 patients.

The High Court had directed the CBI to submit the investigation report within eight weeks and file a case against the Visakhapatnam police officers for manhandling Dr Sudhakar while taking him into custody. On May 16, videos of Dr Sudhakar being beaten, his hands tied to a rope, dragged on the streets by the Visakhapatnam police was widely circulated on social media.

Two months ago, Dr Sudhakar Rao, a civil Assistant surgeon, Area Hospital, Narsipatnam was suspended for speaking against the government.
The doctor had also petitioned the High Court fearing a threat to his life, that medicines used for treating mentally unsound people were administered leading to severe side-effects.

Hearing a petition filed by Dr Sudhakar Rao, the High Court on Friday had asked the state government to clarify if the doctor was in the police or judicial custody. Further, the court had raised serious apprehensions about the medical treatment being given to Dr Sudhakar and directed the state government to ensure that the doctor gets best of treatment.

Dr Sudhakar Rao’s mother Kaveri Rao who visited the Government Mental Hospital on Friday expressed her anguish and fears that her son’s life is at a grave risk. She once again demanded that her son be shifted to another hospital.

Lashing out at the state government for illegal confinement of her son in a mental hospital, Kaveri Rao said it is unfortunate that the ruling dispensation has attributed political motives to her son for raising his voice against the shortage of medical equipment in government hospitals.

At a press briefing, Kaveri Rao said her son had no mental health issues, yet the state government had confined him in a mental asylum for more than two weeks. “I have no faith in this government which is resorting to arm-twisting tactics by way of vendetta. My son is a reputed doctor. He has been abused and constantly being threatened. Dr Ram Reddy of the Vizag mental hospital is instigating my son and abusing him. He is under sever stress. How many more days will my son be confined to the mental hospital?”

Dr Sudhakar Rao’s well-wishers who accompanied Kaveri Rao on Friday recorded the statement of the suspended civil surgeon. As per the voice record statement, Dr Sudhakar Rao repeatedly was saying that he feared that there is a threat to his life and sought protection. The voice record, Kaveri Rao said, will be produced before the High Court.

On Thursday, Dr Sudhakar Rao moved the High Court. In a petition, the Civil Surgeon of Narsipatnam government hospital who was suspended requested the court to give a directive to the state government to shift him to another hospital.

In the petition, Dr Sudhakar Rao said wrong medicines were being administered leading to serious side-effects. Dr Sudhakar noted that doctors at the mental hospital were administering wrong medicines, medicines that are used to treat insane patient. He also listed the medicines that were being administered including Calmpose and Haloperidol. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medicine that is used to treat schizophrenia. He said the medicines have caused serious side-effects. The High Court had already directed the CBI to probe the highhandedness of the police.

Dr Sudhakar Rao was dragged on the streets, his shirt removed, his both hands tied with a rope while a constable repeatedly delivered blows with his lathi under the pretext that he was arrested on charges of drunk driving.

However, YSRCP leader and former Chirala MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan remarked that it was a petty case, one that does not warrant a CBI investigation. The YSRCP leader had found fault with the High Court for directing the country’s premier investigating agency to probe the police highhandedness against Dr Sudhakar Rao. The YSRCP leader further commented that he would spearheaded an agitation against the court’s directive but for the lockdown. The High Court issued contempt notice against the YSRCP leader for his disparaging remarks.

Expressing serious concern over his confinement in Vizag government mental hospital, Dr Sudhakar Rao on Wednesday has written a letter to the superintendent of the hospital requesting that he be shifted to another hospital.

In the letter, Dr Sudhakar Rao said wrong medicines were being administered leading to serious side-effects. TV channels showed the latest visuals of Dr Sudhakar Rao in the government mental hospital. The effects of the medicines were clearly visible on his lips, as per the visuals.

In the letter, Dr Sudhakar also listed the medicines that were being administered including Calmpose and Haloperidol. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medicine that is used to treat schizophrenia. Haloperidol is also used to control motor and speech tics in people with Tourette’s syndrome. Calmpose is used in the treatment of short-term anxiety. It can also be used to treat acute alcohol withdrawal, to relieve muscle spasm and as adjunctive therapy for seizures. Side effects of this medicine include fatigue, confusion, tremor, double vision, insomnia, dry mouth, and headache. It may cause dizziness and sleepiness.

The doctor said it was due to the side-effects of the medicines that were being administered in the government mental hospital that his lips were swollen and turned pinkish. Further, Dr Sudhakar Rao pointed out that he was straight away admitted in the government mental hospital without even conducting breath analyzer test and other medical examinations to detect the level of alcohol in blood and urine. It may be noted that Dr Sudhakar Rao was arrested for drunk driving, he was dragged on the streets, his hands tied to a rope and a police constable was seen beating him with a lathi. This is a grave human rights violation.

As per the law, drivers are initially tested for alcohol consumption with breath analyzers. In addition, blood and urine samples are taken to further corroborate the breath analyser tests. Dr Sudhakar Rao said no medical examinations were conducted to determine whether he was drunk or not.

Dr Sudhakar Rao has been confined in the government mental hospital since the last two weeks without conducting any tests to determine if he was mentally unsound. On Wednesday, Dr Sudhakar Rao’s relatives including his mother Kaveri Rao met the doctor at the mental hospital. Kaveri Rao was aghast at the conditions in the hospital. He was confined in a room which was most unhygienic.

Kindly save my son, his life is in grave danger: Sudhakar Rao’s mother Kaveri

“Kindly save my son. His health has deteriorated since he was admitted to the mental hospital. He has lost weight. The doctors at the mental hospital are administering wrong medicines, medicines that are used to treat insane patients. The government is making serious attempts to browbeat my son by weakening him emotionally and physically,” this is the anguish of Dr Sudhakar Rao’s 90-year-old mother Kaveri Rao.

Addressing the media on Wednesday after meeting his son at the government mental hospital in Vizag, Kaveri Rao feared that there was a threat to his life and he should be immediately shifted to another hospital. Further, Kaveri Rao asked the state government to explain how his son, a doctor with several years of experience, has turned insane just after Dr Sudhakar Rao raised his voice against shortage of medical equipment in government hospitals. “This is political vendetta. My son performed surgery in the morning, in the evening he met Ayanna Patrudu. Soon after meeting Ayyanna Patrudu, my son was suspended,” Kaveri Rao pointed out. “My son is confined in a room which was most unhygienic,” she said.

Kaveri Rao said if her son was not shifted immediately from the government mental hospital, feared that his son could be killed. Further, Kaveri Rao said Dr Ram Reddy, a doctor who is attending to Dr Sudhakar Rao at the government mental hospital, was not giving proper replies when asked about the medicines that were being administered to her son. She said the medicines were being secretly administered with the strips of the tablets removed. “They are doing this so that the names of the tablets won’t be known. But since my son is a doctor himself knows the medicines that are being administered,” a visibly upset Kaveri Rao said.

She said attempts were being made to dilute the case by offering the job at the Narsipatnam government hospital back to her son. “We do not need the job. This is of least importance to us. The dignity of my son should be restored. More importantly, his life should be saved first by shifting him to another hospital. He was dragged on the streets like a dog and beaten. All the people who are involved in the entire incident should be severely punished. They should be sent to jail,” she said. Further, she noted that the Jagan government is planning to move the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s directive ordering CBI probe into the entire incident.

Kaveri Rao said she will submit the letter written by her son before the High Court to seek justice. Expressing serious concern over his confinement in Vizag government mental hospital, Dr Sudhakar Rao on Wednesday has written a letter to the superintendent of the hospital requesting that he be shifted to another hospital.

Earlier, addressing Mahanadu via Zoom App on Wednesday, TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the YSRCP government treated the doctor with vengeance for criticising it over not supplying masks to the doctors. He said the way senior doctor was dragged on to streets and beaten by the police which was a grim pointer to rights violations in Andhra Pradesh. “Dr Sudhakar Rao was suspended for raising voice against the shortage of masks and other medical equipment like PPEs in government hospitals. He was detained by the police under the pretext that he caused nuisance. He was sent to Government Hospital for Mental Health. Is this how the government treats a doctor who was the frontline warrior in the fight against Covid,” Naidu questioned. Earlier, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has lodged a protest with the Andhra Pradesh government over the police highhandedness against Dr Sudhakar.