NHRC summons district officials in Dalit’s death case

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Nellore District Collector M. Harinarayanan and Superintendent of Police K. Tirumaleswar Reddy to appear in person on August 25 in connection with the death of a Dalit, Udayagiri Narayana, following alleged police torture on June 19, 2022.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Nellore District Collector M. Harinarayanan and Superintendent of Police K. Tirumaleswar Reddy to appear in person on August 25 in connection with the death of a Dalit, Udayagiri Narayana, following alleged police torture on June 19, 2022.

The NHRC’s notice followed absence of response to the reports sought from them on the death of the Dalit under suspicious circumstances through several reminders on the proceedings conducted by it, including the final reminder sent on May 15, 2023.

The NHRC’s proceedings followed a complaint from Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Varla Ramaiah who contended that human right of the Dalit was infringed upon by a section of police personnel in collusion with a ruling YSR Congress Party leader.

It may be recalled that Narayana’s body was found hanging from a tree on June 19. The family members had alleged that Narayana had died following police excesses during an interrogation that followed when the owner of a brick factory, where Narayana worked in Podalakuru, had a filed a complaint against him for theft of electrical equipment.

The TDP leader submitted before the NHRC that there were visible marks of violence on the body of Narayana as per the post-mortem report.