HC asks for reports of incidents of police hitting people in Hyd

Responding to the Wanaparthy police brutality, wherein a person named Murali Krishna was beaten up by police for coming out on to the road during the lockdown period in front of his young son, who was seen begging and pleading with the police to not to beat his father, a division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh

Chauhan and Justice T. Amarnath Goud on Wednesday directed principal secretary, state home department, to file a response report by April 16, 2020, furnishing details of the incident, along with action taken.

The bench directed the home department about such incidents that have taken place in the state, wherein police performing duty during lockdown have beaten up people mercilessly.

The bench was dealing with a PIL, based on a letter addressed by P.G.V. Umesh Chandra, advocate, who brought incident to the notice of the High ourt.

Elaborating on police excesses during lockdown, including abusing people orally with filthy language, making them undertake physical punishments and beating them up with lathis and kicking them, the petitioner highlighted the Wanaparthy incident. He brought to notice of the court various incidents and reports, wherein police had beaten people up.

Chief Justice Chauhan, after hearing contentions of petitioner Umesh Chandra, said that the police should “ensure they work well within rules” and “should be reasonable”. However, appreciating police services of the police during lockdown, the Bench said, “The Telangana police is doing a wonderful job during the nationwide lockdown. They are bound to exercise power against people who violate law. But, stray incidents like these, spoils their reputation.”