IPS officers bristle at minister Danam

Hyderabad: After ensuring that a criminal case was registered against labour minister Danam Nagender, the IPS officers in the state went on the offensive on Saturday by condemning the assault on an aide of a senior cop by Danam and his men and vowed to keep up the pressure until the minister is punished for such “high-handed behaviour.”
    “A general body meeting of the AP IPS Association will be held shortly to discuss the issue of interference in police functioning by politicians,” said V S K Kaumudi, secretary of AP IPS Association. In a statement, the association expressed concern over the incident and decided to seek an appointment with home minister P Sabita Indira Reddy to convey its concern over the incident.
    On April 4, S Sambasiva Rao, camp clerk of additional director-general (Greyhounds) J V Ramudu, was assaulted by Danam’s aides at the entrance of Banjara Hills police station after a tiff over a minor incident. Incidentally, it was a sub-inspector who brought Sambasiva Rao outside the police station at the behest of the labour minister.
    The police personnel belonging to the police station watched helplessly when the assault was taking place but later, a criminal case was registered against Danam, his two aides, Balu and Narasimha, and an unknown person.
    After taking stock of the incident, top police officials on Saturday sought an explanation from Banjara Hills sub-inspector Syed Nayeemullah who had asked Sambasiva Rao, who was inside the police station, to go out and meet Danam only to be assaulted by his aides.
    The senior cops are also looking into reports that the CCTV footage in the Banjara Hills police station that captured the attack was tampered with after the incident. When contacted, the Banjara Hills police said investigation was on and evidence was being gathered. `As of now, there are no arrests in this case. We are in the process of gathering evidence,'' Banjara Hills inspector P Murali Krishna told STOI.
    Police sources said the home minister would be urged to come up with strict guidelines that would deter politicians from taking the law into their hands. “It is not the first time that Danam has behaved in this manner. If need be, we will take up the matter with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy,” said one official. Incidentally, Danam is a staunch supporter of Kiran Kumar Reddy. “Therefore, it remains to be seen as to how far the state would go against Danam,” said a police official.