Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday asked the Telangana state government how long it would continue the prohibitory orders in Vemulaghat village of Medak district. Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao was dealing with a petition filed by Mr Y Santosh Reddy and five others of Vemulaghat, challenging the authorities for imposing CrPC Section 144 in the village. Ms B. Rachana, counsel for the petitioners, told the court that the executive magistrate had imposed Section 144 on July 28.
The judge said that continuation of the prohibitory orders even after the situation was brought under control amounted to infringing the rights of the citizens. When the judge questioned why the villagers resorted to attacking the police, Ms Rachana replied that the police had lathicharged them when they were peacefully protesting against the authorities who were trying to take away land under GO 123 for the Mallannaagar project.
She said that the police had booked cases under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) and were preventing others, including relatives, from entering the village. Mr Venugopal, counsel for the home department, submitted that the village was still tense and an affidavit had been filed about the situation there. The judge said that he would pronounce orders on Wednesday.
