Vijayawada: The city Task Force police have landed in a controversy after they allegedly assaulted and detained a photo journalist near the Chief Minister’s camp office. The Task Force police forcibly detained the photographer while he was taking the photographs of an ambulance that has come from Kandukuru.
The relatives of the patient have come to the Chief Minister’s relief fund office to seek help for the treatment. B. Maridaiah, who works in a vernacular daily newspaper, alleged that around 10 police officers have surrounded him and forcibly took him inside the station, which is adjacent to the Chief Minister’s camp office. He said sub-inspector of Task Force G. Srinivas even slapped him and snapped his camera.
“I was only taking the photographs of the patient who was brought from Kandukuru in Prakasam district to the office of Chief Minister’s relief fund. But the police have physically assaulted me for no reason.” The police said that the incident happened due to some misunderstanding. Assistant commissioner of police K. Srinivas said that the police on duty have taken Maridaiah into custody as they thought that he was taking photographs of the police station premises.
As it was adjacent to the Chief Minister’s camp office, they have raised a security alarm. The journalist unions have protested at the Suryaraopet police station for the high handed behaviour of task force police and demanded action against the police officers. City police commissioner D. Goutam Sawang promised that the issue will be examined and action will be initiated against the officials.
