HYDERABAD: For the first time in Telangana, Tadvai police of Mulugu district had registered cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against 152 persons, including Prof Haragopal. Even though the case was registered in 2022, the 52-page FIR came to light on Thursday.
Police revealed the existence of the FIR while opposing the bail of People’s Democratic Movement’s Chandramouli, in a Ranga Reddy district court.
Tadvai police said that on August 19, 2022, the complainant V. Shankar was performing his duties at Pasra Circle, when he received information about an illegal assembly of Maoists members, including Bade Chokka Rao, Kankanala Raji Reddy, Koyada Sambaiah, Kursam Maggu, Madakam Sannal, and other dalam members.
The FIR alleged they were planning attacks on officials, destruction of government property, recruitment of tribal youth, terrorising innocent people and raising funds for the Maoists.
The FIR said that during a combing operation, police came across a closed-door meeting where the accused were conspiring to kill politicians and policemen and usurping the democratically elected government at gunpoint. The police personnel noticed outlawed armed men in olive green uniforms at the meeting.
The police asked them to surrender but they fled into the dense forest. Police said they found a tent with a plastic cover. They found kit bags, solar plates, water cans, water bottles, steel bags, rope and Maoist literature. In the literature were the names of 152 persons, including that of Prof. Haragopal. The attacks were planned under the command of central committee member Pulluri Prasad Rao, the FIR said.
Responding to the FIR, Prof. Haragopal said that it was an attack on voices raised against the government. "The police misused UAPA deliberately by registering cases under the section. This is nothing but misuse of the law and constitution," the rights activist said.
Civil Liberties Committee president Laxman Gaddam condemned the police for registering cases against 152 persons. The state government has started suppressing people's voices while the police used UAPA to target persons who were fighting for the people.
