Kovvur SI Suspended Following Death of Dalit Youth

Vijayawada: Kovvur sub-inspector D. Bhushanam has been placed under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty on Wednesday.

East Godavari police said the SI had taken a Dalit youth Bontha Mahendra, 21, into custody following information that two groups of people had got involved in an altercation over tearing of a flex banner at Dommeru village on Monday, November 13. Mahendra was detained in the police station until 5:00 p.m. on the day.

When Kovvur town circle inspector came to know about the incident, he reached the police station and handed over the youth to his relatives.

However, the same night, Mahendra attempted suicide by consuming pesticide. His kin and friends immediately rushed him to the government hospital at Kovvur. They later took him to a private hospital at Chagallu and then to another private hospital in Rajamahendravaram. As Mahendra’s condition remained critical, he was shifted to a private hospital in Vijayawada on Tuesday, November 14, night.  He died while undergoing treatment on Wednesday.

The youth had earlier alleged that he had consumed pesticide, unable to bear the insult of being detained in a police station.

Following the death of Mahendra, East Godavari SP P. Jagadeesh conducted an inquiry. He found that the Kovvur SI had not filed any case and also failed to inform senior officers about the youth’s detention. The SI also did not conduct any inquiry.

Accordingly, the SP sent a report to the Eluru DIG, who placed the SI under suspension for dereliction of duty.