Four youngsters beat up an 18-year-old boy named Chintu — the brother of independent candidate Barrelekka alias Sirisha — in Peddakothapally.
Published Nov 22, 2023 | 4:16 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 22, 2023 | 4:18 PM
Sirisha narrating the incident to media. (Screenrgrab)
Four youngsters beat up an 18-year-old named Chintu — the brother of independent candidate Barrelekka alias Sirisha — in Vennacherla in the Peddakothapally mandal of the Kollapur Assembly constituency in the Nagarkurnool district of Telangana on Tuesday, 22 November.
As soon as the news spread, people from several walks of life condemned the incident. Many of those who commented on social media platforms alleged that the assailants were associated with the BRS, which is in power in the stay.
A video of Sirisha narrating the incident and how she was being intimidated went viral on social media, triggering protests against the audacity of the culprits and the lack of measures to provide security to the contesting candidates and their family members.
Kollapur Police Inspector (PI) Yadadri told South First: “Four youngsters beat up Chintu. The investigation is going on to ascertain the truth behind the incident. We are inquiring whether it was election-related or due to some other reasons, and will be taking appropriate action following the inquiry.”
Asked if the youngsters had any affiliation with the BRS, he was non-committal and said that he had yet to get the details.
According to the officer, all the youngsters were students in Peddakothapally. They have identified three of them and registered a case. The identified youngsters are Santosh, Naveen, and Siva.
The police said that they were nursing a grudge against Sirisha’s brother as they had an argument over a trivial issue in the past.
According to Yadadri, the victim at about 4.30 pm on Tuesday was travelling on a bike behind his sister, who was moving in a car.
Since the distance between them was about half a km, Sirisha did not notice her brother being taken away by the youngsters.
After some time, when Sirisha began searching for him, he reached her location. She was heartbroken when he narrated to her how he was beaten up.
Sirisha then went to the Kollapur Police Station and staged a protest, demanding action against the culprits and protection for her and her family.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sirisha said that she was seeking election to the Assembly as an independent to focus on the unemployment problem as she — like many — did not have a job.
She claimed that since she was getting traction with the young voters, she began receiving threatening calls from her political rivals.
“I ignored them at first. But today, they beat up my brother. He is the youngest in our family. Looking at the bruises he sustained, I’m not able to control my grief. The attack on my brother has proved that there are people who have been trying to intimidate me from campaigning for the polls,” she said.
Former judge of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh High Court B Chandra Kumar dashed off a letter to the chief electoral officer seeking protection for her as it amounts to preventing her from meeting voters and carrying on the campaign.
He told South First that a level playing field should be ensured for all the contestants and the acts of arm-twisting should be condemned.
Shaik Ishmail, a yoga master from Saroornagar in Hyderabad, said he was shocked to learn that Sirisha’s brother was beaten up.
“It is time that all well-meaning people who have faith in democracy should go in her support. Sirisha had been campaigning despite the odds and it is the duty of the authorities to provide her protection,” Ishmail said.
“I came to know about the incident while I was attending a meeting addressed by former CBI Joint Director V Lakshminarayana. It was during the meeting that Sirisha called him and explained to him the kind of intimidation that she was facing. Lakshminarayana promised to extend his full support to her and condemned the incident,” Ishmail added.
