TDP, activists raise doubts over police version of driver’s death

Quoting the confession, the SP said Subrahmanyam, who had earlier worked as a driver with the MLC, had entered into an argument with Ananta Babu at the latter’s residence in Sriramnagar at around midnight on May 19

Dalit organisations and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday strongly contested the Kakinada police’s version that the death of 24-year-old driver Veedi Subrahmanyam had taken place in a scuffle with YSR Congress party (YSRCP) lawmaker Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar alias Ananta Babu (47) in the late hours of May 19.

Kakinada superintendent of police M Ravindranath told local reporters that police registered a case against the YSRC legislative council member Ananta Babu for the death of 24-year-old driver Veedi Subrahmanyam. (Representative Photo)

On late Monday evening, Kakinada superintendent of police M Ravindranath told local reporters that the police registered a case against the YSRC legislative council member (MLC) under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), besides SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, based on his confession statement. Ananta Babu surrendered to the police earlier in the day.

Quoting the confession, the SP said Subrahmanyam, who had earlier worked as a driver with the MLC, had entered into an argument with him at the latter’s residence in Sriramnagar at around midnight on May 19. The MLC pulled up Subrahmanyam for consuming liquor regularly. He also asked the ex-driver to return ₹20,000 he had borrowed from him in the past.

Ravindranath said the MLC had carried Subrahmanyam in his car to the hospital, but before reaching the hospital, he noticed the driver was already dead.

“To project it as accidental death, Ananta Babu took the body to a dumping yard, where he beat up the body with a stick. Later, he took the body to a private hospital where the death was declared,” the police official added.

“Later, Ananta Babu carried the body in his car to the driver’s house, but the family members refused to accept the body. When they started questioning him, he fled from the spot in a scooter, leaving behind the car, along with the body,” Ravindranathsaid.

Prominent Dalit activist and advocate Jada Sravan Kumar, who led the protests by the local Dalit organisations at the hospital over the murder, described the police statement as a fabricated story.

“The post mortem report clearly stated that Subrahmanyam had died because of severe injuries in his private parts and trampling of his neck. It also says he had died of injuries caused due to beating and not due to falling on a grill or ib drainage. How can the police consider the accused’s version that the injuries on the body were inflicted after Subrahmanyam had died?” Kumar asked.

He said there could be more than one person in the assault on Subrahmanyam leading to his death. “The body was thoroughly drenched, and there was sand all over his body. It was clear that he was beaten to death on the beach and not in front of Ananta Babu’s house,” Sravan Kumar said and demanded that an impartial independent inquiry be ordered into the murder.

The advocate said he would be approaching the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), seeking a comprehensive inquiry into the murder.

Meanwhile, Sreenu, watchman of the apartment where Ananta Babu resides, told reporters on Tuesday that there were no clashes in front of the apartment on the night of May 19, and it could be seen from the CCTV footage. “It only shows the MLC came hurriedly to the apartment at around midnight and later left with his wife,” he said.

A fact-finding committee of the TDP, comprising former minister Peethala Sujatha, party SC Cell president M S Raju and others, who visited the place of murder and Subrahmanyam’s residence on Tuesday, said inquiries had revealed that a woman public representative was behind the MLC committing the murder. “We shall disclose her details soon,” Sujatha said.

The TDP leader said the party would lodge a complaint with Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan seeking action against the YSRC lawmaker. “The government and the police were trying to protect the MLC. We demand that he be dismissed from the legislative council and also from the YSRC,” Sujatha added.

The police refused to comment on the allegations.

“The investigation is on. There will be more clarity during the course of investigation,” SP Ravindranath said.