Andhra Pradesh: Srikakulam cop suspended for assaulting Dalit man

Visakhapatnam: A day after the video of a police inspector kicking and slapping a Dalit man in Srikakulam district went viral, the police top brass suspended him.

The video of the inspector of Palasa-Kasibugga police station in Srikakulam district, C Venugopal kicking Marri Jagan from Tekkali on his stomach and slapping him in front of his mother at the police station, garnered widespread criticism from TDP leaders and Dalit organisations.

Deputy chief minister Dharmana Krishna Das instructed Srikakulam SP Amit Bardar and DIG (Visakha Range) LKV Ranga Rao to order a probe into the incident and take action against the erring police inspector. Meanwhile, the official handle of the Andhra Pradesh police tweeted that such highhanded behavior will not be accepted in the police department.

As per reports, Jagan and his family-members had a dispute over land patta with some others in the village. On the evening of July 4, Jagan along with his mother went to the Kasibugga-Palasa police station to lodge a complaint. However, Venugopal got angry and attacked him.

TDP leaders have accused the police of acting on the instructions of YSRC leaders and violating human rights.