Elections In Raptadu, A Contest Between Paritala Family Vs People

 YSR Congress Party MLA candidate Thopudurthi Prakash Reddy lambasted local police officials for winking at the targeted attacks on YSRCP workers and leaders by Telugu Desam Party men. He said, "law and order is conspicuously absent in Raptadu. It has been 5 years since one sighted a policeman in Khaki uniform, in the true sense."

Prakash Reddy called on YSR Congress Party workers who had been attacked and wounded by TDP men and were admitted to a private nursing home. He urged the doctors to provide the best possible treatment to Chintakayala Pothulaiah who had sustained injuries in an attack reportedly carried out by TDP men and was recovering in the nursing home.

The YSRCP leader lamented that things had degenerated to a point wherein when YSRCP workers handed over those who assaulted them near NS Gate to the cops, the SI gestured to the attackers to flee. Prakash Reddy pointed a finger at the Anantapur SP, Dharmavaram DSP and Atmakur CI for backing the TDP to the hilt.

The yellow-shirted brigade enjoyed a free rein to attack anyone, he added. The district police did not take any action against TDP leaders who attacked YSRCP men, even when the victims were admitted in hospitals with grievous injuries, Prakash Reddy pointed out. In cases where the police appeared to act, they registered cases under bailable Sections such as (324, 326) he added.

Prakash Reddy further said that murder accused in the district are sheltered by minister Paritala Sunitha and that the Anantapur SP was very much aware of this. The police brought an accused in Kandukur murder case to ensure he cast his vote and this triggered a lot of resentment among commoners, he remarked.

The YSRCP leader observed that the district SP knows that minister Paritala Sunitha's son, Sriram is behind murders which took place in Raptadu and yet does not take any action.

Moreover, he defends Sriram saying that he (Sriram) is not such a person, Prakash Reddy said. He pointed out that Sriram's name was not included in panchnama conducted after death or in an FIR despite specific complaints from members of the victims' families.

Prakash Reddy said that history sheeters were carrying out attacks in Dharmavaram in the name of Sriram Yuva Sena. He lamented that in Thopudurthi village the TDP candidate and minister, Paritala Sunitha's son, Paritala Sriram came, hurled stones on innocent people and attacked them, but the police booked a case against the common citizens along with him.

Similarly, Prakash Reddy said, the police did not a book a case in an attack by TDP men on a complaint from a YSRCP Dalit leader, Rajanna.