The Hindu : Salur peaceful

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Salur peaceful

By Our Correspondent

SALUR, VIZIANAGARAM DIST. J This town, which witnessed police firing on a strong mob in front of the rural police station on Saturday, remained peaceful on Sunday. Except for the presence of a large number of police personnel mobilised from neighbouring Srikakulam district, life remained normal.

Broken glass pieces of five transport corporation buses, a badly damaged police beat post, road dividers and a cinema theatre stand testimony to the mob fury. There were heart-rending scenes in front of the houses of the bereaved families of B. Pydithalli, a rikshaw-puller and K. Appa Rao, a cane-weaver, in Mentada Veedhi (street) and Dabbi Veedhi. The innocent victims, who came to witness the mob frenzy, received bullets and collapsed.

Meanwhile, J. Jammayya and T. Rambabu, suffered bullet wounds and are recovering in the Government Hospital. A Ramakrishna, one of the 12 constables, including six APSP personnel, who was seriously injured, is recovering in the District Headquarters Hospital in Vizianagaram. A seemingly perturbed Superintendent of Police, Swathi Lakra, who has been camping in the town since the incident on Saturday afternoon, told The Hindu that the Sub Inspector, V. Venkata Appa Rao, had been placed under suspension for his `highhanded behaviour and lowering the image of police in public.' The SI had over-reacted to a sensitive issue, she said and blamed him for the turn of events in which two innocents were killed. She said that the Government had announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the kin of the bereaved families and Rs.25,000 each to the injured. The cheques would be handed over to the families by the Revenue Minister, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, on Monday morning. The Sub Collector, Christina Z Chongthu, would inquire into the police firing and submit her report in a week. A top police officer said that the police fired about 30 rounds on the mob.

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