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A sub-inspector of police has been suspended and a magisterial enquiry ordered following the death of a Dalit woman under mysterious circumstances in Maddipadu police station in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district.
Annavarapu Sridevi, a Dalit, committed suicide on Wednesday by hanging herself in the police station's toilet.
Admitting that such incidents were on the rise and the victims were mostly from weaker sections, Director General of Police Pervaram Ramulu warned of severe action against the policemen involved in such cases.
Sridevi (20) was called to the Maddipadu police station on Wednesday morning for interrogation in connection with the suspicious death of her paramour Kakarla Meeraiah (25), who was found dead in her house under mysterious circumstances on April 20.
Sridevi, a farm labourer, had deserted her husband Venkata Rao two years ago and had later entered into an illicit relationship with Meeraiah.
Meeraiah slipped into a coma after allegedly consuming sleeping pills and later died in a hospital. He was apparently upset over Sridevi's refusal to marry him.
The Maddipadu police registered a case under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and launched an investigation on April 21.
Since then, they had been summoning Sridevi to the police station every day for interrogation.
On Wednesday, she had been called to the police station at 0630 hours (IST). Sridevi's mother Ravipudi Subbaratnamma accompanied her to the police station.
After being grilled for a while, she sought permission to visit the toilet.
When she did not return from the toilet, Subbaratnamma grew suspicious and found her body. Sridevi had apparently used her sari and the iron bar of a window in the lavatory to hang herself.
When news about the incident spread, activists of various Dalit organisations and leaders of various parties descended on the police station and staged a noisy demonstration demanding suspension of the erring policemen and registration of a murder case against them under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for humiliating and torturing the victim, resulting in her death.
They alleged that the police was trying to hush up the case by threatening Subbaratnamma, who claimed that Sridevi committed suicide as she was grief-struck by Meeraiah's death.
They also demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
Superintendent of Police Kumar Vishwajeet, District Collector Karikal Valaven and Revenue Officer (Ongole division) O Seshaiah rushed to the police station and investigated the incident.
Kumar Vishwajeet assured the people that action would be taken against the cops present in the station at the time of the incident if they were found responsible for Sridevi's death.
Deputy Inspector General (Guntur region) Vinay Ranjan Ray went one step further and suspended Station House Officer Sub-Inspector Parandhamaiah though the latter was not present in the police station when the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, the district collector ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident. He also promised to render financial help and provide employment to one member of the victim's family.
It may be recalled that earlier this month, eight policemen were suspended for two custodial deaths in two districts in the state.
While petty worker B Narasimhulu (50) died in custody at Vikarabad police station in Rangareddy district on April 11, Pandi Yadagiri committed suicide in the lock-up at Thoguta police station in Medak district on April eight.
Six of the policemen involved, including a circle inspector and a sub-inspector, were later arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
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