In a tragic incident, an activist from the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) died on Monday in a melee between police and activist in Hyderabad.
The activist was identified as Bharati, a resident of Addagutta, Secunderabad.
On Monday, the MRPS activists surrounded the Hyderabad District Collectorate, demanding that the government introduce the Constitutional Amendment Bill for categorization of Scheduled Castes.
After being stopped by police from entering the Collector’s office, the activists tried storming into the office and a melee ensued between police and the activists.
Caught in the chaos, Bharati reportedly suffered injuries to her chest and collapsed.
woman activist of Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti,died while protesting outside #Hyderabad Collectorate. Govt announced 25Lakh compensation pic.twitter.com/vn21X1jxkh
— Aashish (@Ashi_IndiaToday) November 6, 2017
She was rushed to Osmania Hospital. Bharati eventually succumbed to a heart attack, doctors said.
Tension continues to prevail at the hospital as the MRPS activists refused to take the body, and are staging a protest at the hospital premises.
The protestors raised slogans against the state government, and demanded that the Chief Minister lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to exert pressure on the central government to table a Constitutional amendment bill in Parliament. The Schedule Caste categorization is a long-standing demand of the MRPS.
Cutting across party lines, everyone in the Assembly expressed anguish over the incident.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao offered his condolences and stated in the Assembly that he would soon seek an appointment with the Prime Minister and ensure that the Schedule Caste categorisation is implemented.
“The government will fully bear the educational expenses of her children. Since, there is no opposition to the demand from anyone regarding the SC categorisation. I appeal the MRPS activists to maintain calm. I will meet the PM and ask him to seriously look into the matter,” he said.
The government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to Bharati’s kin. The Chief Minister said that if she has small children, the government will bear the expenses for their education till post-graduation.
With IANS inputs