The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Pottilanka village still in grip of fear after murder

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Monday, Jun 23, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Pottilanka village still in grip of fear after murder

B.V.S. Bhaskar

Rajahmundry rural CI and Kadiam SI suspended

Pottilanka (East Godavari Dt): Pottilanka, a tiny village in Kadiam mandal represented by Excise Minister Jakkampudi Rammohana Rao, is still reeling under fear as a Dalit was killed in an assault by a member belonging to another community on Saturday night. It is alleged that a small altercation between two groups near a tiffin centre two days ago led to the attack on Dalits. However, members of the other community alleged that a youth misbehaved with a woman of their community, resulting in the clashes.

Meanwhile, the government on Sunday suspended the Rajahmundry rural Circle Inspector L. Ankaiah and Kadiam Sub-Inspector Satyanarayana who failed to control the situation in the village, which led to tension and clashes between the two groups. Police arrested about 30 persons in the case and investigation is on.

On the other hand, Dalits in large numbers organised ‘rasta roko’ on Sunday afternoon under the leadership of Amalapuram MP G.V. Harshakumar on the National Highway to demand Rs.5 lakh compensation for the kin of the deceased. Police arranged four pickets and the Minister for Small scale Industries Gollapalli Suryarao, Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi, DIG Hasan Reza and SP Y. Nagi Reddy held discussions with Dalits in the village to bring back normality in the village.

The three-hour ‘rasta roko’, which disrupted traffic on the National Highway, was withdrawn by the Dalits after the Collector announced that they would pay Rs.1.5 lakh to the family of the deceased person and recommend to the government for Rs.3.5 lakh more as compensation.

Meanwhile, Mr Suryarao announced that the government would provide a government job to the wife of Veera Pandu, who died in the clashes. He also said that they would give one acre of cultivable land to the family of Pandu and education to his children.

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