Watch: Tribal farmer protesting for urea tortured, abused by police in Nalgonda

A 22-year-old tribal farmer, Dhanavath Sai Siddu, alleges he was tortured and humiliated by Vadapalli police following a protest over urea delays. His wife filed a complaint with the SC/ST Commission, while the police have not responded

Nalgonda: A 22-year-old tribal farmer from Kothapeta Tanda village in Damaracherla mandal was allegedly beaten brutally and humiliated with caste-based abuses. Dhanavath Sai Siddu, from the Lambadi community, had joined a protest last week over delays in urea supplies. Siddu, currently unable to walk, is undergoing treatment in hospital, while his wife, Dhanavath Bhumika, has filed a complaint with the Telangana Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Bhumika said that on September 9, around 6 am, two constables in plainclothes from Vadapalli Police Station entered Siddu’s home. They allegedly pulled him out of bed without a warrant or giving any reason. Bhumika begged them not to hit his legs as he needed to work in the farm. However, the officers reportedly ignored her, hurled caste-based insults, and shamed her in front of neighbours. They tied up Siddu, placed him on a two-wheeler, and took him to the police station.

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At Vadapalli police station, Siddu was allegedly tortured in a room upstairs. Sub-Inspector A. Srikanth Reddy allegedly ordered Constable Kotayya and others to tie Siddu’s legs with ropes. For 25 minutes, they beat him with lathis covered with rubber, a method intended to inflict pain without leaving marks. Reddy reportedly struck the soles of Siddu’s feet with a stick. Siddu was later forced to walk but fell due to extreme pain and later vomited after drinking water, reportedly due to internal injuries.

Bhumika further said that while taking Siddu to court, Reddy kicked him and warned that if he disclosed anything to doctors or judges, he could be jailed or even shot. She was reportedly made to wait for four hours outside the station before being allowed to meet him. She demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and action against the police officers involved.

The SC/ST Commission has received the complaint, while the police have not issued any response so far.