Left leader ignited fire: Judge

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad Aug.1:Khammam District Sessions Judge Jagannath Reddy has said, quoting eyewitnesses, that the Mudigonda police firing was provoked by CPI-M leader Bandi Ramesh. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had asked the sessions judge to conduct an inquiry into the firing of July 28 which claimed seven lives.

Mr Jagannath Reddy submitted the report to the High Court after visiting the spot and recording statements of eyewitness. One witness told the judge that the incident occurred because of the “adamant attitude of Bandi Ramesh who is aspiring to become a State leader.” According to him, Bandi Ramesh urged the crowd to “revolt against the police” when cops were trying to disperse them. “The entire episode was triggered by the provocative speech of Bandi Ramesh,” the judge quoted another eyewitness as saying.

Mr Jagannath Reddy criticised the police for exceeding limits by firing even towards the first floor of a shopping complex. “They should have resorted to lathicharge and should have fired below the knee,” said the report. “But instead, they aimed directly at the mob.” Police did not seek permission from the Mudigonda Tahsildar before opening fire, said the judge.

He also quoted another eyewitness as saying that the Additional Superintendent of Police reached the spot in a drunken state and ordered the cops to fire. Mr Jagannath Reddy examined 13 witnesses and took photographs of the scene of offence. He also found many empty cartridges and bullet shards in the area.

The report states that people became restive when Rayala Venkateswarlu, president of the Rythu Sangham, was beaten by police. “The stone pelting was spontaneous and police opened fire perceiving a threat to their lives,” it says. Meanwhile, the State government has told the State Human Rights Commission that police had not made proper arrangements to tackle the agitation and this led to the firing.

District Collector Sasibhushan Kumar informed the SHRC that police did not bring water cannons and teargas shells to Mudigonda and were under the impression that this was going to be an ordinary agitation. When things got out of hand, they had to resort to firing. The collector has also accused Bandi Ramesh and his followers of provoking the police with his speech. Police have booked two cases against Ramesh and his followers as per the complaints of Circle Inspector Surender Reddy and Sub-Inspector Venkat Reddy.