Hyderabad: Barely a day after a large number of people across hailed the Telangana police, women tied rakhis and distributed sweets, and netizens hailed them for gunning down four accused in the Disha case while recreating the crime scene, comes a disturbing report on the failure of the police to file a case or act against a local Telangana Rasthra Samiti leader and goon, S. Madhav Reddy, who first attacked a watchman, sexually molested his wife, and a day later, on learning that the couple had dared to complaint to the police, burnt the man with petrol.
Trouble has been brewing since several individuals, including local TRS leader S. Madhav Reddy, began to make claims on a property — Plots numbered 103 to 106 and 111 to 114 in Shiva Enclave, Old Bowenpally, which was in possession of one Mr Prakash Reddy. The vacant plot has a compound wall in which Sharanappa, 40, was a resident watchman, and lived in a small make-shift home with wife, his son and daughter.
On Thursday night, T. Madhav Reddy, S. Madhav Reddy, and a gang of 10 goons came with three JCBs, trespassed into the compound and began demolishing the wall. When Sharanappa intervened, he was beaten up. The two TRS leader namesakes, Madhav Reddy, sexually attacked his wife aged 37, tried to disrobe her and partially unclothed her. When the frightened couple went to the police after the gang completely demolished the compound wall, the police did not respond positively.
They neither registered a case nor did they try to apprehend the culprits, dismissing the charges of the woman from a Back-ward Caste, as trivial.
Subsequently, after several hours, an FIR was lodged but no action was taken the whole of next day. On Friday evening, the police had not only refused to take cognisance of the case seriously, but someone in the police station also informed the two Madhav Reddys of the efforts of the couple to register a case in vain.
On Friday evening, Mr T. Madhav Reddy and Mr S. Madhav Reddy, who have reportedly multiple crimes and cases recorded against them in the Bowenpally P.S. in the past, were attending a local wedding as VIP political guests and were getting drunk. When the topic came up about how a woman had dared to file a complaint against him, the duo reportedly flew into rage and left the venue of the wedding. After midnight, towards 1 am they went to the plot to teach the couple a lesson.
They took petrol and knocked on their door. The watchman who came out was burnt by the two leaders, and some of their henchmen.
Sharanappa suffered 45 per cent burns to his body and is undergoing treatment in Gandhi Hospital.
The culprits escaped after setting him afire. Early next morning, a special team of police arrived and this time, they registered an FIR. A delay in registering an FIR in a case as serious as sexual assault on a woman leading to a second attack by the same people, locally powerful and connected to the ruling party, and ending in near burning to death of her husband is hardly the sequel to an instant justice serving Telangana police.
Speaking exclusively to Deccan Chronicle, Bowenpally CI Anjeneyulu said, “There was not much delay in registering FIR. We felt it was a civil case related to property. We have formed a special team and we will try to apprehend the culprits.”
Mr Anjeneyulu also refuted that there has been pressure on the police to not act from a senior TRS leader connected to the two local TRS leaders.
“I don’t even know if they are leaders… maybe just ruling party sympathisers. In any case, I was recently transferred here a few months ago and do not know much about their background. But we will take action,” the cop said.
