Video clips of the Telangana police thrashing a few youngsters surfaced online on Wednesday.
In one video, a police constable holds on to three young men as they walk in the middle of the road towards another cop. The second police constable then beats two of the youngsters with a lathi even as the youth try to scatter.
In another video, which was shot from a balcony, a group of five policemen are seen rounding up a youngster. While one constable holds him from behind, while another slaps him on the back, then hard in the face, and then goes on to kick him in the stomach. The youth, who is seen pleading with the police, is then hit with the lathi by another constable.
Rajanna-Siricilla police beat up youth for alleged 'nuisance'.However officials told TNM that 'some force' was used to stop them from committing further crime. Issue reportedly began with a brawl in front of a fuel station in town. @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/uOKXNYTBHA
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) January 1, 2020
As per reports, the incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday at Telangana's Rajanna Siricilla. The police claimed that around 1 am on Wednesday, a few young men were engaged in a brawl with a petrol pump staff on Siricilla-Karimnagar Road, and created a public nuisance.
When TNM contacted Rajanna Siricilla district Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Hegde, he said that as per their New Year celebration, the youth tried to cut a cake in front of a petrol pump while allegedly obstructing other customers from entering. This allegedly led to a brawl with the petrol pump staff and others. They allegedly broke a few bottles on the road. The police, who were patrolling the area, reached the spot and tried to disperse them.
“According to prime facie evidence, some of them tried to enter into another person’s house near the main road. That’s when the police had to use physical force to control the youth,” said the SP.
When asked about the allegations of police excess, he said, “As the youth were trying to run away, some force was used to control further crime from happening.” However, he added that a detailed inquiry has been ordered into the incident and to verify the allegations of police excess.
According to Sircilla to police officials, a case has also been registered against the four men and few others along with them under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code, along with other relevant sections.