A Dalit youth in Chirala town in Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh died in police custody after being picked up for not wearing a mask and helmet.
A case of death in police custody (Criminal Procedure Code section 176) was registered after Y Kiran Kumar died while being treated for a head injury in a private hospital in Guntur.
Kumar’s parents have accused the police of beating him up. Denying the allegation, Prakasam police claimed that he jumped out of the jeep on the way to the Town Police station.
Following the incident, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to Kumar’s family.
Prakasam Police alleged that Kumar and his friend Shini Abraham were riding a motorcycle without a mask on July 18. The duo, who were allegedly ‘inebriated’, created a ruckus and beat up the constable upon being reprimanded.
After being informed of the incident, sub-inspector Vijay Kumar took them into custody.
Following the constable’s complaint, a case was registered against the duo under IPC Sections 353,188,269 and r/w 34 IPC, Sec 185 of Motor Vehicles act and Section 51 of Disaster Management Act. Abraham was tested by a breath analyser, and a blood sample of Kumar has been sent for testing.
On a complaint by Kumar’s father Mohan Rao, a case has also been registered against the sub-inspector under IPC Section 324, News18 reported.
‘One of them (Kiran Kumar) jumped out of the jeep while it was moving and received a major head injury. His hair fell off too,’ he said, adding that the PME report states that his death was due to a head injury, and that ‘no other injuries or proof of being physically hit’ were there. Kaushal has handed over the case to Darsi Deputy Superintendent of Police for an impartial probe en ordered. Abraham is one of the witnesses to the incident,’ SP of Prakasam District Siddharth Kaushal said.
Guntur Range Inspector-General of Police J has meanwhile appointed the Additional Superintendent of Police Gangadhar has been appointed as special enquiry officer. As directed by CM Reddy, Gangadhar is expected to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the case.
