Secunderabad: Balladeer Yepuri Somanna handcuffed, cops draw heavy flak
Somanna said the government is conspiring to kill him as he is raising his voice against its anti-people policies.
Hyderabad: The arrest of balladeer Yepuri Somanna by the Suryapet police and his handcuffing at the Tirumalagiri police station due to alleged pressure by MLA Vemula Veeresham’s wife Pushpa, has drawn flak from all quarters. The police was forced to release Somanna on bail after his images went viral on social media.
Meanwhile, he lodged a complaint with the police that MLA Vemula Veeresham’s wife Pushpa had abused him mentioning his caste. The police is yet to act on the complaint. Somanna said the government is conspiring to kill him as he is raising his voice against its anti-people policies.
A case of harassment filed by his wife Swarupa in 2013 was pending against him. While the case was in trial a NBW was issued against him as he did not appear in court.
In addition to this, Somanna’s second wife lodged a complaint against him recently. Acting on the complaint police registered a case and arrested him. At the police station he was handcuffed and made to sit on the floor. The handcuffs were tied by a chain to the cell.
In the video which went viral Nakirekal MLA Vemula Veeresham’s wife Pushpa was seen shouting at Somanna. After the video went viral police released Somanna on station bail. However, their act drew wide criticism.
TPCC chief N. Uttamkumar Reddy said the incident shows the government's reaction to those who criticise it. “The state is under police rule. Why was an MLA's wife at the police station at the time of his arrest? The government should speak on this illegal detention,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.
TTDP working president A. Revanth Reddy said that Somanna left a government job and had been raising his voice for the poor. “He had been questioning the government about its anti-people policies and this has become an eyesore for them. This shows how human rights are violated and also that the Constitution does not apply in Telangana,” he said.
Meanwhile, repeated calls to Suryapet police officials to know their reaction were not answered.