The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Journalist accuses police of manhandling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 23, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Journalist accuses police of manhandling

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: A journalist was allegedly manhandled and implicated in a false case by the Punjagutta police on Tuesday midnight.

G. Srikanth, senior copy editor of `Times of India', said on Wednesday that a police patrolling party manhandled him while he along with a friend was having tea at Punjagutta junction around midnight on Tuesday. "I just raised objection when the policemen started beating up people standing at the stall. Suddenly, Sub-Inspector Ranga Reddy and another constable bundled me into the Rakshak vehicle and took me to the police station," he charged.

Written undertaking

Later, they took him to Gandhi Hospital where some tests were conducted. He was let off on Wednesday morning after giving a written undertaking. West Zone DCP Amit Garg said Srikanth was in an intoxicated condition and the medical report substantiated the charge. "He obstructed the policemen from discharging their duties. Hence, a case was booked against him," he said.

The Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) condemned the alleged high-handed behaviour of the Punjagutta police and illegal detention of the journalist. It urged the Home Minister to initiate action against the policemen responsible for the incident.

Memorandum submitted

Meanwhile, the `Times of India' Resident Editor submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy alleging that the police had cooked up charges against Srikanth.

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