Dalit woman alleges third-degree by Shadnagar police in theft case

“I was stripped by the policemen, mostly men. My hands and legs were tied to a lathi. They pressed my ankles with their boots and kept hitting me with a rubber belt. They demanded that I confess to a crime that I did not commit,” Sunitha said in a video recording.

Sunitha resides with her husband Bheemaiah and their 13-year-old son in Ambedkar Colony under Shadnagar police station limits.

On July 24, one Nagender lodged a complaint with Shadnagar police, claiming that 24 tolas of gold ornaments and Rs 2 lakh cash were stolen from his house. He allegedly named Sunitha and her family as suspects.

Responding to the complaint, detective inspector (DI) Rami Reddy summoned Bheemaiah and Sunitha to the police station the same day. Bheemaiah was the first to be taken into the interrogation room, where he was reportedly beaten severely. After his release, Sunitha was treated with similar brutality. She claimed that her son had witnessed the entire ordeal.

“I begged the policemen not to beat me. I was kicked, beaten and stomped on non-stop. I told them I would beg for ten rupees on the road rather than commit theft. But they did not listen,” added Sunitha, who was released later.

Shadnagar police have filed a case for theft. They reported that they had recovered one tola of gold and Rs 4,000 cash from Sunitha.

Following the video, Cyberabad police commissioner Avinash Mohanty, in a press release, said “The DI of Shadnagar has since been attached to Cyberabad headquarters pending inquiry into the allegations. ACP Shadnagar N.C.H. Rangaswamy is conducting the inquiry.”

He said further action will be taken based on the inquiry report.

Former minister T. Harish Rao in a post on his X handle tagged the Chief Minister’s office and said: This horrific abuse of power reflects a disturbing trend of police brutality under your watch.”

“No remand has been filed, making this detention illegal and unjust. How long will this government allow such blatant violations of human rights.? Immediate action is needed to restore justice,” he said in the post which also tagged the DGP.