Police Tightens Dragnet Around Million March Vandals

The City Police's Special Investigation Team probing into the incidents of violence during the Million March has prepared a charge sheet against the Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana Joint Action Committee convener, Prof. Kodandaram, the TRS MLAs, Mr Harish Rao and Mr K.T. Rama Rao, and other accused for provoking the crowds on that fateful day.

According to the CCS police, the chargesheet against the Telangana leaders and other participants has been sent to the public prosecutor for examination before it is filed in court at Nampally. The SIT is probing around 32 cases related to violence during the Million March where statues of prominent personalities were vandalised. Sources said that the Telangana leaders have been named in three major cases of conspiracy and it has been alleged in the chargesheet that four of them had provoked the crowds and had conspired to commit the offences at Tank Bund and assaulting police officers. Photographic and video evidence has been collected against the accused.

Around 54 people had been arrested on March 10 by the Gandhinagar police and the case had been transferred to the CCS. The four leaders had been named as accused in a case booked by the Narayanguda police and the chargesheet relates to that case. The accused, however, were not arrested in the case and the police had decided to instead try them in court. A senior city police official said, “Though the case was booked under stringent provisions of Prevention of Public Property Damage Act, Criminal Law Amendment Act, unlawful assembly, rioting and criminal conspiracy, only charges of conspiracy and unlawful assembly will be levelled against them.”
In the chargesheet filed by the SIT against Telangana leaders regarding violent incidents during the Million March, it has been mentioned that 12 statues were completely damaged and five statues and their pedestals were partially damaged at the instigation of the JAC leaders.

During the Million March, the Congress MPs, Mr Madhu Yashki Gowd, and Mr K. Kesava Rao, were beaten by slippers and water bottles. A slogan-shouting mob had also chased them when they had arrived at Tank Bund to take part in the March. Apart from the statues being damaged, police and media vehicles were burnt, lensmen were attacked and stones were pelted on the police by agitators who had sneaked into the area despite heavy police deployment and restrictions. Acts of violence had taken place in the presence of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and other Telangana leaders. The agitators had set alight a jeep of the Gandhinagar police station and an outdoor broadcasting van of a TV channel. They had also attacked installations and private properties at the Lower Tank Bund including burning an Andhra Bank ATM on Tank Bund.