MCJ student's arrest sparks war of words at SC/ST meet; SP justifies ANF action

When the meeting commenced Dalit members questioned the basis on which Vittal was arrested.

Speaking at the meet, Dalita Hakkugala Horata Samiti President L Shekhar asked the Superintendent of Police the reason for Vittal's arrest and the subsequent tagging of the boy as an anti-national element.

The police have filed a FIR and arrested him without any proper evidence to prove his involvement in Maoist activities. In the FIR it is mentioned that the police have found steel plates, rice, sugar, tea and coffee powder and a text on Bhagath Singh at Vittal's home. “Don't you have all these things in your home too, Sir?

Is this a reason strong enough to arrest a student on the grounds of being a Maoist supporter?” he questioned.

SP Abhishek Goel replied that they have enough proof for arresting Vittal, which he may not be able to disclose in the meeting.

When Dalita Hakkugala Horata Samiti Secretary Eshwari Padmunja alleged the police of harassing Vittal Malekudiya's father Linganna Malekudiya, the SP refuted.

“Linganna had tried to escape the police and in the attempt he had broken his knee,” said the SP.

In response to the allegation made by the dalit community members against the police of harassing Vittal and Linganna Malekudiya, Civil Rights Enforcement Cell SP Sarvoththama Pai said that if the father-son duo was harassed then Vittal should have informed the same before the Judge when he was taken to the Court.

At one point, when the dalits made hue and cry over the arrest, the Superintendent of Police said that it was the ANF cops who had arrested Vittal and handed over to the local police and the Court has given the judicial custody. “If you find the process wrong, you can challenge it before the Court,” he told Shekhar.

Dalit leader Krishnanda accused the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) of arresting innocent people sporadically just to show that they are still active.

Various other issues including sexual harassment by a school teacher in Uppinangadi police station limits, misbehaviour by police constable at Nelyady OB were brought to the notice of the SP. To these issues, the SP directed the respective officers to follow up the cases and take immediate action.