Kakinada: The Railway police had ignored alerts from AP police about Kapu Aikhya Garjana.
According to sources, despite early inputs from the East Godavari police, the railway department ignored warnings that Kapu agitators may reach the railway tracks or stations to stage rasta rokos besides blocking national highways.
It is learnt that the cops also advised the railway police to cancel or stop the trains from Sunday afternoon till the end of the meeting at Tuni.
However, the railway police simply ignored the cautions which proved costly not only for railways but also for passengers.
“If the railway police had considered the suggestion, the damage would have been averted,’’ said a police official. Meanwhile, the government had not also given strict instructions to the police to control the mob.
Without any specific orders, the cops on duty had to remain mute spectators as the violence rage. Police officials, who were in mufti, said that they were helpless during the violent incidents even though their vehicles were burning.
The anti-social elements did not even leave Eluru Range official at the time and other police officials took him to nearest railway station. In the process, an inspector was injured due to stone pelting.
The police officials don’t agree that it was a failure of intelligence.
“It’s not correct that it was a failure of intelligence and other vigilance sources. We knew about the meeting and arranged heavy security by deploying 2,700 police personnel. However, we had to observe restrain to protect innocent people caught in the violence, said East Godavari DSP M. Ravi Prakash.
