Hyderabad: Policeman on the streets in the city caning at sight, no mercy to violators

Those with genuine reasons say brute force being applied, without even eliciting reasons for venturing out

Hyderabad: "To a man in uniform, all look like criminals. To the policeman on the streets in the city, using the lathi seems to come naturally."

Mahesh V, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Secunderabad, deplores thus. A five-minute ride to the grocery store turned into a nightmare as he was beaten black and blue by the policemen. He bitterly complains, "I was not given a chance to even explain."

Pictures and videos are being circulated in social media of people being thrashed as they ventured out of their homes in a curfew-like situation. The worst-affected are daily wage labourers and those who do not have shelter. Raju, a construction worker at Warasifguda, said, "Thanks to a few good samaritans, we get food packets but there is constant fear of the police who beat us badly."

Meghna, a student, said, "We are scared even to go out for a good reason. The fear of arbitrary state violence is taking a toll on us."

After a Coronavirus positive case emerged from Quthbullapur on Thursday, people in the locality stopped anyone entering the colony and took the law into their hands. Ashwin Agarwal, a businessman said, "I was not allowed to pass through the colony."

As the weekly markets now would not be set up, a few vendors were selling vegetables in bylanes. Ramulu, a vegetable vendor, says dejectedly, "If the police keep beating up people, supply of essential goods would be affected."