Accused in 17 Kapu agitation cases get relief

Vijayawada: The state government has issued an order to withdraw prosecution of the accused in 17 cases registered in connection with Kapu reservation agitation in Tuni. Home secretary Kumar Vishwajeet issued the order directing the DGP to instruct the authority concerned to do the same. The GO also mentions that orders were issued on December 17 to withdraw the cases registered in connection with the protests at Tuni.

“The government hereby decided to withdraw the prosecutions against the accused in seventeen (17) cases registered in connection with the Kapu Reservation agitation in Tuni, East Godavari District and direct the Director General of Police... to instruct the authority concerned for withdrawal of prosecutions...” the GO reads.

Consequently, prosecution of the accused in 51 out of 69 cases have been withdrawn through a GO issued in March 2020. The cases were registered after thousands of people who attended the Kapu Aikya Gharjana at Tuni led by Kapu leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham on January 31, 2016.

Violence erupted after several protestors allegedly halted the Ratnachal Express heading from Vizag to Vijayawada and later they set fire to the bogies of the train at Tuni station. Under the TDP regime, cases were registered under Criminal Law Amendment Act 1932 and Prevention of Damage of Public Property Act, 1984 and other relevant sections of IPC. tnn