YSRCP alleges police misuse in Tenali case after court verdict

YSRCP spokesperson and former MP Gorantla Madhav alleged that the TDP-led coalition government had misused the police machinery for political purposes following a district court verdict in the Tenali case. He questioned the registration of an attempt-to-murder case against four youths and alleged that the accused were publicly beaten after being taken into custody.

YSRCP spokesperson and former MP Gorantla Madhav on Wednesday alleged that the TDP-led coalition government was misusing the police machinery for political purposes, following a district court verdict in connection with the Tenali case. Speaking to the media at the party's office, Madhav alleged that police had foisted an attempt-to-murder case on four youths in Tenali in April and subsequently took three of them into custody, paraded them on the streets and beat them. A video showing police personnel beating three youths in public had surfaced on social media in May 2025, triggering criticism from human rights groups and political leaders.

The case stemmed from a complaint by police constable Kanna Chiranjeevi, who had alleged that four men -- Vemu Naveen alias Killer, John Victor, Doma Rakesh and Shaik Karimulla -- attacked him near Aithanagar in Tenali on April 24, 2025. Police had said at the time that the accused attacked the constable and that the case was registered following his complaint. Madhav alleged that the police action against the youths was politically motivated and questioned the manner in which the case was handled. He also referred to the visit of YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to meet the youths and their families, alleging that the visit was subsequently targeted by the coalition and sections of the media.

Reacting to the court proceedings, Madhav said the coalition government must explain why the police were allegedly made to follow a "Red Book Constitution" to please political leaders and bring disrepute to the Police Department. He further alleged that the court's dismissal of the police case demonstrated the impact of political interference on policing in the state.

Madhav also referred to the death of Sai Krishna in custody and alleged that a similar pattern of human-rights violations had occurred in that case. He claimed that even Sai Krishna's parents were deprived of his ashes. The Tenali incident had earlier drawn criticism from the Human Rights Forum, which called for an inquiry after a video showing three youths being beaten by police personnel in public surfaced in May 2025. The organisation said that irrespective of the allegations against the youths, police were required to follow due process.

Police had maintained that the youths were accused of assaulting Constable Kanna Chiranjeevi, with reports at the time stating that three of them were arrested and sent to judicial custody. (ANI)