Congress leader attacks Dalit Army jawan in Telangana’s Khammam district, victim seeks justice

Congress leader Ummineni Ramesh hurls invectives at Budala Manoj and passes casteist remarks against him at police station

Khammam: An Army jawan, who happened to be a Dalit, was allegedly beaten by a Congress leader and subjected to casteist slurs inside the Chintakani police station in the district.

It is said that the jawan, Budala Manoj of Bonakal, went to a petrol bunk at Nagulavancha in Chintakani mandal to refuel his vehicle five days ago. There, he tried to stop a clash between some youths and the petrol bunk staff. The bunk owner lodged a complaint with the police.

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Manoj was summoned by the Chintakani police for questioning in connection with the incident. When he went to the police station on Tuesday night to speak to SI Nagul Meera, Congress leader Ummineni Ramesh, without any provocation, hurled invectives at Manoj and passed casteist remarks against him.

Further, the Congress leader, who is said to be the follower of Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, and his acquaintance Lagadapati Sai beat up Manoj in the presence of the SI and threatened him of serious consequences.

In a complaint lodged with the Chintakani police, the jawan urged the SI to take action against the accused while requesting the latter to check CCTV cameras installed in the police station to ascertain the facts. He said he was not involved in the clash at the bunk.

Manoj said Ramesh was an accused in an attempt to murder case and was remanded some time ago. According to the jawan, the assailant also maintained that all police stations in Bonakal were under his control.