Telangana Congress leaders meet Governor, seek justice in custodial death

Telangana Congress leaders on Friday called on Governor, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, and appealing her to ensure justice to Dalit woman Mariyamma who allegedly died of police torture in custody.

A delegation of party leaders led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to her.

The Dalit woman died in Addaguduru police station under Rachakonda police Commissionerate in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on June 18.

The Congress leaders urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to ensure that the guilty are punished. They also demanded help to the family of the victim.

They alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government is trying to shield those involved in the custodial death.

Vikramarka said the government has failed in maintain law and order. Voicing concern over increasing attacks on Dalits, he said despite repeated representations over the issue. the government has failed to check the crime.

The Telangana High Court on Thursday ordered judicial probe into the alleged custodial death.

The court directed the Aler magistrate to conduct the probe and submit the report to the court in a sealed cover. The magistrate was also directed to exhume the body of the deceased and conduct re-postmortem, if necessary.

Mariyamma, who was working as a maid at a pastor’s house in Addagudur and faced robbery charges, died in the police station on June 18 station because of alleged police torture.

Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat had on Tuesday ordered suspension of three police officers at Addagudur for negligence in handling investigation allegedly leading to the custodial death.

Station sub-inspector V. Maheshwar, constables Rasheed, and Janaiah were suspended.

A delegation of Telangana Congress leaders led by its President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy Wednesday met DGP M. Mahender Reddy and sought further action against the policemen involved in the alleged custodial death.

They alleged that the police was trying to project the death as a case of heart attack in the Addaguduru police station and demanded a fair inquiry into it.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said Mariamma and her son were whisked away from their home in Komatlagudem in Khammam district by policemen in plain clothes on June 15 in connection with the theft case. They were brought to Addaguduru police station, where they were tortured.

He demanded that a case be filed under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against police officers responsible for custodial death and inhuman torture of her son.