Andhra police officers' body seeks action against Minister for abusing officer

Amaravati, Feb 11: The Andhra Pradesh Police Officers' Association has demanded Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to take action against Animal Husbandry Minister Seediri Appalaraju for abusing and threatening a police officer during an event in Visakhapatnam on February 9. The Association has also sought a public apology from the Minister for using abusive language and behaving rudely with the officer.

The Minister was caught on camera abusing and threatening a police inspector during the annual festival of Sri Sarada Peetham in Visakhapatnam attended by the Chief Minister. Appalaraju was miffed after the police officer stopped the entry of his supporters inside Sharada Peetham.

The video of the him abusing the police official and threatening him went viral on social media. The Andhra Pradesh Police Officers' Association president J. Srinivasa Rao and others condemned the incident and demanded that the Appalaraju tender a public apology. They said it was unfortunate that a responsible Minister used abusive words and acted rudely with an officer of a key department of the government discharging his duties.

The Association urged the Chief Minister to order an inquiry and take appropriate action against Appalaraju and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future. Earlier, opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh posted the video of the incident on Twitter and asked if the Association will show some courage to speak out on the incident. The TDP leader wrote that the DGP and Association faulted his party leaders whenever they raised the issue of law and order and crimes against women.

"Let us see if the Association or police boss react to this or blame the person who video recorded it," he had tweeted. The Minister's action has evoked condemnation from BJP. Party state general secretary Vishnu Vardhan Reddy tweeted that the arrogance of the minister is so high that he even forgot the basic laws by which a state is being governed.

"Imagine if they can do with the police personnel then what they would do with the common man? Why has a case not been booked against the errant minister?" he asked.