Andhra Pradesh: Village under police vigil after insulted man’s suicide attempt

ELURU: Fearing unrest, local police on Friday posted two constables at Sayampalem village of T Narsapuram mandal where a 55-year-old was tied to a tree and thrashed on Thursday.   

Adamelli Sanjiva Rao, who attempted suicide by consuming pesticide after the humiliating incident, is now recuperating in Eluru Government hospital.  The police have registered cases against caste elders and the Manukonda family for thrashing Rao.

The Manukondas, who share the same caste as Rao, beat him as he did not turn up for a panchayat meeting called by caste elders after a woman from their Manukonda family complained against Rao’s son Nagendra Prasad for harassing her. The two families have allegedly been feuding for the past several years.

Adamelli Madhu, the eldest son of Sanjiva Rao alleged that the police have so far not taken any steps against the accused who beat up his father.  “The police are instead harassing us by asking about the whereabouts of my brother Nagendra Prasad. No action has been initiated against the persons who beat up my father after tying him to a tree. The village elders and the Manukonda family are threatening my family of dire consequences,” he alleged.

He added that there has been no action on the part of the police even after being informed of the threat to their lives.“The village elders are regressive and harass people who do not comply with their orders.  Fifteen years back, the elders beat up a woman after tying her up to a tree half naked. They beat up a couple who were in love three years back and ostracised a family from the village for attending Church. The matter was taken up in court. If we don’t listen to them, we are threatened and punished,” he alleged.