A street vendor in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool killed himself on Sunday by drinking acid, allegedly after he was physically assaulted by a sub-inspector in the Dhone police station. The deceased was identified as G Varadarajulu.
Pictures accessed by The New Indian Express show Varadarajulu and his wife Sujatha being roughed up by the police.
According to TNIE, the victim made a living by selling peanuts outside a wine shop in Dhone. However, there was some business dispute with another street vendor, Fathima. The dispute escalated and on Friday, Fathima, with the help of six others, reportedly thrashed Varadarajulu.
Later, on the same day, both Varadarajulu and Fathima reportedly went to the police station to complain about each other. However, the police allegedly sent them away without registering a case, reported Deccan Chronicle.
However, Varadarajulu, persistent about getting justice, went to the police station along with his Sujatha and a few relatives, demanding that the police register a case against Fathima.
Infuriated by this, the police allegedly thrashed the couple.
“We only asked why the police were not registering a case. Sub Inspector V Srinivasulu came out and tried to beat me. My husband tried to intervene but he was thrashed.” Sujatha told TNIE.
The couple returned home, and were reportedly humiliated by the incident.
According to DC, early on Sunday, Sujatha found Varadarajulu unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital, and reportedly passed away at the Kurnool Government General Hospital while undergoing treatment.
Sujatha along with her relatives staged a protest at the District Collectorate. While initially Dhone DSP Baba Fakruddin denied the physical assault by the SI, he later promised to initiate action after TNIE showed photographic evidence of the incident, in which the SI roughs up Varadarajulu.