E-Paper
Man stopped by cops for violating lockdown in Andhra’s Guntur, dies
The police themselves shifted him to the local government hospital, where he succumbed while undergoing treatment.
A 28-year-old man died of cardiac failure when he was allegedly beaten up by the police for violating the lockdown in Sattenapalli town of Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district on Monday morning, his family members said.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Ghouse, and had been suffering from cardio-vascular disease. “He went out to get medicines from a nearby medical shop, when the police stopped him at the local check post and thrashed him on his back. He collapsed immediately,” his father Md Adeem told reporters.
The police themselves shifted him to the local government hospital, where he succumbed while undergoing treatment.
Guntur range Inspector General of police K Prabhakar Rao announced suspension of Sattenapalli town sub-inspector of police Ramesh Babu. A case of death under unnatural circumstances (Section 174 of Indian Penal Code) was registered in the incident.
The IG also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the allegations of high-handed behaviour of the SI.
Rao, however, said according to preliminary inquiries, the SI had not beaten Ghouse, but only asked the latter to show a prescription since he was going to the medical shop. “Even as the SI was questioning him, Ghouse developed palpitation and collapsed there itself. He was taken to the nearby hospital, where the paramedical staff tried to resuscitate him, but he succumbed within minutes,” the IG said..
The death of the Muslim youth led to a tense atmosphere in Sattenapalli town. Hundreds of his relatives and local Muslim organisations staged a demonstration in front of the police station demanding justice for the family and action against police officials who allegedly beat him up.
Senior police officials led by Guntur rural SP Vijaya Rao rushed to the town to bring the situation under control. The police officials also assured the family of adequate compensation.
The IG said as many as 21 cases of lockdown violations were registered in the last two days in Narsaraopet town hence police were strictly enforcing the lockdown.
