Telangana: Cong MLAs meet KCR over Dalit woman’s custodial death, inquiry ordered

Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Friday instructed state DIrector General of Police Mahender Reddy to immediately conduct an inquiry about the lock up and death of a Dalit woman named Mariamma, who allegedly died in police custody.

KCR asked the police chief to take stringent action against the personnel if they are found responsible and has also asked Mahender Reddy to remove them from the service. The chief minister’s statement came after Congress MLAs led by Madhira MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met KCR on Friday and apprised him about the incident. KCR stated that the death of Mariamma, who is from Chintakaniki in Khammam district is “very painful”.

The chief minister categorically stated that his government would never support such a thing, and that he will support the son and daughters of the deceased Mariamma. “The CM instructed Chief Secretary Sri Somesh Kumar to ensure that Mariamma’s son Uday Kiran is given government job, a house and Rs 15 Lakh ex gratia amount, and Mariamma’s two daughters are given Rs 10 Lakh each,” said a statement from his office.

The CM instructed the the DGP to visit Chintakaniki to find out the facts and details about the lockup death and console the members of the victim’s family. Congress MLAs Bhatti Vikramarka (Congress Legislature Party leader), D Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Jaggareddy and Congress SC Cell Chairman Pritam met the KCR at Pragathi Bhavan on Friday and submitted a memorandum regarding the incident as well.

After being apprised of the incident, chief minister KCR also expressed anger over the behaviour of police in the
lockup death of Mariamma, added that the statement. He suggested that local Minister Puvvada Ajaykumar, MP Sri Nama Nageshwar Rao and the district collector should take local MLA Sri Bhatti Vikramarka along with
them on June 28 and meet the victim’s family members and console them.

Speaking on the occasion, KCR also said, “There is a need for the society to change its attitude towards the Dalits. Especially the attitude and behaviour of the police towards the Dalits should be in favour of them and support them. It is unfortunate that when the police machinery is making a qualitative change in maintaining the law-and-order
situation, such incident took place. We will not pardon such incidents.”

In fact, the chief minister said that his government will not keep quiet if anyone harms Dalits, and that there will be swift action on the matter, KCR added.