SI, 3 constables get one-year jail for torturing tribal youth in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam First Additional Chief Metropolitan Court convicted one Sub-Inspector and three constables to one-year jail term for illegally detaining a tribal youth and harassing him. The court also fined the four accused – SI BB Ganesh and constables A Ganesh, T Santhosh Kumar, and PVV Ramakrishna, to the tune of Rs 50,000.

According to details, Adharashetti Chandrasekhar, a tribal youth residing in the city, was detained on October 6, 2013, at 9 pm by the then 4th PS SI BB Ganesh and the three constables and was taken to the station.

The four policemen put the youth in jail and subjected him to torture despite no complaints or cases filed. The father of Chandrashekhar, who was concerned as his son didn't reach home, asked his younger son Dr. Gopala Rao to find out Chandrasekhar’s whereabouts, only to know that he was in the fourth town police station. The family, after reaching the police station, were shocked to see him covered in injuries.

Chandrasekhar was released from the police station and shifted to KGH hospital for treatment. He also underwent plastic surgery. The youth later filed a petition in the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Court with the help of civil rights leader NH Akbar.

Although the then Commissioner of Police conducted a departmental inquiry into this, no action was taken against the police who committed this crime. The allegations against the policemen were proved in the court after eight witnesses and doctors gave their arguments while the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Judge Yugandhar ruled on Tuesday afternoon and sentenced SI Ganesh and three constables to one-year imprisonment.

The court also ordered them to pay Rs. 50,000 compensation to the youth and said that they would have to undergo one-month extra jail term if they failed to pay the fine. The Visakhapatnam City Commissioner of Police would likely suspend the four policemen.