Suspended Andhra cop booked for disappearance of youth

Andhra Pradesh Police have booked a suspended police officer for the disappearance of a youth and his alleged death in custody.

On a complaint by Gade Vijaya Lakshmi, mother of Gade Sai Krishna (26), who has been missing for more than a month, a case of wrongful confinement, murder and causing disappearance of evidence against Nagaraju, suspended Circle Inspector of Krishna Lanka police station.

The case has been registered under sections 127 (4), 127 (6), 103 (1) and 238 of Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Vijaya Lakshmi alleged that her son was tortured and beaten to death in custody. They demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government order a judicial probe into the issue and book all those responsible for it.

According to her, police had picked up Sai Krishna on May 9 for questioning in a case, and he had not returned since.

She filed a Habeas Corpus petition in the High Court, which directed the Krishna Lanka police to produce the victim before it on June 15. As the police could not produce Sai Krishna, the High Court directed the police to produce him by June 29.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on June 17 ordered a probe by a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer into the case. He also ordered suspension of Circle Inspector Nagaraju.

Meanwhile, East Godavari district Superintendent of Police, D. Narasimha Kishore, who has been tasked to lead the investigation, will arrive in Vijayawada later in the day.

He will meet Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta and Vijayawada Police Commissioner S.V. Rajashekar Babu. The SP will later visit Krishna Lanka police station to initiate the investigation.

Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who visited Vijayawada and called on Vijaya Lakshmi on Thursday, demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He alleged that the case involved not only the suspended Circle Inspector but also senior police officials, including the Vijayawada Police Commissioner and the State DGP.

The YSRCP chief said the incident had exposed the alarming state of law and order in Andhra Pradesh.