Telangana Congress demands CBI probe into Dalit's 'lock-up death'

Hyderabad: The Congress party on Thursday demanded CBI enquiry into the custodial death of Silam Rangaiah, a Dalit, who died allegedly due to police torture.

In an open letter to Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, MLA D Sridhar Babu, ex-Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha and SC Cell Chairman Pritam, said that the circumstantial evidences clearly show that Rangaiah died in mysterious circumstances allegedly due to third degree torture by the police.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said Silam Rangaiah, a resident of Ramayyapalli village in Ramgiri mandal of Peddapalli falling in Manthani Assembly constituency, was arrested by the police on May 24 under Wildlife Protection Act. He was also booked under PD Act. On May 26, he was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Manthani Police Station toilet. "Rangaiah was allegedly subjected to third degree torture in the police custody which consequently resulted in his death," he alleged.

He said as per FIR No 127, Rangaiah was arrested on May 24 and was remanded to judicial custody on the same day. In that case, he asked as to how his body was found in the police station's premises on May 26.

Further, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the body was taken to a hospital and post-mortem was conducted in haste. He said as per religious rituals, Rangaiah was to be buried. However, the police forcibly cremated the body so as to wipe out the evidence of torture.

He pointed out that in the past another Dalit youth Madhukar had also died under suspicious circumstances. He said the probe into his death was not yet completed. He said there were at least 10 lock-up deaths across the State ever since the formation of Telangana in 2014.