Telangana Woman Dies In Lock-Up After Getting Beat Up By Police: Report

Telangana Woman Dies In Lock-Up: A woman was found dead in Addagudur police station of Telangana's Yadadari-Bhuvanagiri district on June 18 evening after she was allegedly beaten up by police, according to reports.

Disciplinary action is being taken against two constables and the Sub Inspector (SI) of the police station. The deceased woman has been identified as Mariyamma, 40, who was working as a house help in Govindpuram village's local priest Father Balaswamy's house.

Mariyamma had been reportedly arrested on June 17 after Father Balaswamy filed a complaint of stealing at the police station. He claimed that two lakh rupees were stolen from his house. Later Mariyamma was found as an accused in the case.

Congress Scheduled Caste Cell state president,  Nagarigari Preetham, gave his statement on the case and claimed that Mariyamma was arrested from her village in Khammam district by police from Addagudur police station.  He alleged that the woman was physically assaulted by the police in the name of investigation of the theft at the priest's house.

Preetham said, "The police tortured her on June 17 night and on the next day (June 18), owing to the beatings she fell unconscious and died in the police station itself."

He further demanded action against the police officers and alleged that they tried to cover up the incident. This was followed by outrage by many activists questioning the authorities for the alleged custodial torture faced by Mariyamma.

According to a report by Andhrajyothy Telugu daily, the police officer cited cardiac arrest as the cause of Mariyamma's death in the police station. The SI and two constables were reportedly removed from their posts by the Rachakonda Commissioner of Police till the inquiry of the case concludes.

"The woman was declared brought dead at the hospital, an internal inquiry has been initiated into the allegations after attaching the concerned officers to the DCP office." He further added, "We are awaiting the postmortem report, based on the report further action will be taken against the officials who have been attached to the DCP office, "DCP B Narayana Reddy told TNM.