By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb 18 : The Hyderbad city joint police commissioner, Mr P. S. R. Anjaneyulu,on Thursday, admitted before Justice L Narashima Reddy of the State
High Court that the two-wheeler of a media person was burnt by the
police personnel in the OU campus on Feb 14.
He told the court that there was no truth in the allegation that the police
had beaten girl students. The judge, who got irritated with the body
language of the official, grilled him in a packed court.
The official was summoned by the court while dealing with a petition
filed by an injured scribe Mr Narasinga Rao in lathicharge.
When the official told the court that there was no lathicharge on girls,
the judge said he was over confident.
" We are in a civilised society and have to respect women. I found not
an iota of repentance in him for the heinous attack on students. The
audacity and the attitude of the official was the main reason for the Feb
14 & 15 incidents on the OU campus, '' he said.
When the judge told the official that he would order a CBI probe on
lathicharge, the official nodded his head in approval.
At this stage, Mr D. V. Seetharam Murthy, advocate-general intervened
and told the court that the girl students received injuries when they
tried to escape from stone pelting.
He said the government already had ordered the CID chief to inquire
into the matter and submit a report. He urged the court to grant some
time so that he can file a counter affidavit and also the report of the
CID.
"While the Chief Minster and the Home Minister admitted that
lathicharge took place and apologised to the students and the media for
the same, the official flatly denied it showing his tenacity, '' the judge
remarked.
When the judge asked the joint police commissioner the remaining
years of his service, Mr Anjaneyulu said 18. The judge quipped by
saying `it is better we are all insured.'
The judge further asked him whether he had initiated any action against
those who torched the scribe's vehicle.
When he replied in the negative, the judge said this was enough to
suspend the official. He said he would leave it to the discretion of the
DGP and the government. The official told the judge that he brought all
the facts to the notice of the DGP and the Commissioner.
The joint commissioner while narrating the situation on Feb 14, said
that he received information that there was some trouble on the
campus, when he was in a meeting related to security arrangements for
Assembly session.
He said when he reached the university, he found students gathered at
Osmania B Hostel and Arts college and were trying to move towards
Tarnaka. The police prevented them and asked them to disburse ,
meanwhile some students started pelting stones on the police and some
police personnel were injured. Later police lathicharged and used
teargas shells to disburse them. The media personnel received injuries
during the scuffle between students and the police. He denied the
allegation that the media was targeted.
He contended that they had reliable information of outsiders entering
the campus.
Then the judge asked why they had not been arrested. The officer
replied that they had arrested a few of them. He informed the judge that
he left the campus as soon as he received information that this court
ruled for removal of his presence from the campus.
Mr D Prakash Reddy. senior counsel for the petitioner contended that
the official had been telling stories to cover up their fault. He asked the
judge to record the statement of the official that the police torched the
scribe's vehicle.
The judge referring to the lathicharge on Dwacra women at Vizag,
observed that the police were in a "trigger-and-lathi happy" mood.
While keeping the option of ordering CBI probe open, the judge
directed the government to file a counter affidavit explaining when
armed forces were deployed, what facilities have been provided to them
and expenditure incurred for keeping the forces. The matter was posted
to March 1 for further hearing.
No comments:
Post a Comment