Tirupati police mistakens Dalit law student from Tamil Nadu to be a red sanders smuggler, tortures him for 18 hours
- 26-year old Dalit law student was picked up by the Tirupati police from a bus stop, accusing him of being a red sanders smuggler.
- Police asked him what he was doing there in the middle of the night, but he could not communicate to them that he had come to see off his local guardian.
- His phone was confiscated and he was not allowed to establish any contact with his family or friends.
FollowA Dalit law student had to pay the price of being a Tamilian who did not know Telugu or Hindi. But, what is more bothering is the police brutality that followed when he could not defend himself as a law student and not a red sanders smuggler when he was accused of being the latter. His mistake, he had gone to see off his relatives to the Tirupati bus stand in the middle of the night.
Hell broke lose when the Dalit youth from Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, was taken into custody from the Tirupati bus stand which is considered to be an important transit point for red sanders smuggling network. He was detained for 18 hours and during that time he was beaten by canes and boots. 26-year old Stalin kept on pleading with them that he was a student at Dr BR Ambedkar Law college in Tirupati and also requested the police officers to verify his identity with his relatives and college.
However, they did none of that. Instead, they confiscated his mobile phone so that he could not establish any contacts with anyone and held him up with other accused. Speaking to the New Indian Express, Stalin said, "I was locked up at the police station for 18 hours. All the while I repeatedly said I was a student who came to drop my relatives. But instead of paying attention to what I was saying, the police accused me of talking too much and locked me up with the other accused." Further narrating his horrendous experience, he said, "They hit me on my head, hip and hand, resulting in injuries."
Around 10 pm the next day, he was given his mobile phone and was allowed to call his family. He also called his fellow comrades of the CPM's youth wing DYFI and informed them about the matter. Stalin said, "The police realised their mistake and were also ready to pay for the injury they caused. But I refused the money. They should have cross-checked my claims. Instead, they ignored everything I said and did not even give me a chance to speak."
Stalin has now approached the Tamil Nadu government and the National Human Rights Commission seeking justice. Meanwhile, back in the Tirupati East Police Station, where the incident happened, sub-Inspector of Police Pradeep Kumar Reddy has been shifted to vacancy reserve. Action will also be taken against three constables — Venkatesh, Shanmuga Sundaram and Murali —  for using third degree against Stalin. A friend of Stalin also said,"We have described the incident in detail to Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi, who assured to look into the matter."
