YSRCP Legislator and Son Detained After Alleged Assault on Dalit Household
Police arrested Alur MLA B. Virupakshi and his son Chandrasekhar following a violent confrontation between YSRCP and TDP activists. The incident involved an alleged home invasion of a Dalit family and resulted in attempt-to-murder charges.
Key takeaways
- Alur MLA B. Virupakshi and his son were arrested in a 3 a.m. police raid at their Chippagiri residence.
- The arrests follow allegations of a mob attack on the home of a Dalit TDP activist named Nagaraju.
- Police have filed charges including attempt to murder and violations of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- Violence between YSRCP and TDP followers resulted in vehicle damage and injuries to the MLA's brother.
- YSRCP leaders claim the arrests are a misuse of power, alleging their activists were the original targets of TDP aggression.
Nighttime Raid and Custody
Law enforcement officials conducted a pre-dawn operation on Sunday to arrest B. Virupakshi, the YSRCP MLA representing Alur, along with his son, Chandrasekhar. The police reportedly breached the legislator's residence in Chippagiri around 3 a.m., seizing CCTV hardware before taking the pair into custody. Authorities also apprehended fourteen other YSRCP supporters in connection with the escalating violence in the region.
Conflict Origins and Escalation
The unrest began as a verbal dispute over a telephone call between a TDP supporter from Nemakallu and a YSRCP activist from Sangala. The situation intensified when Virupakshi arrived in Nemakallu to support his follower. According to TDP representatives, the MLA and his entourage forcibly entered the residence of Nagaraju, a Dalit party activist. The TDP alleges that the mob assaulted Nagaraju and his wife, during which the woman's clothing was reportedly torn. The ensuing melee saw both factions trading blows, resulting in an injury to Virupakshi's brother and significant damage to vehicles belonging to the MLA and TDP leader Purushotham.
Conflicting Accounts of the Violence
TDP Alur Assembly in-charge Vaikuntam Jyothi asserted that the MLA’s followers initiated the aggression, specifically targeting TDP mandal convener Purushotham. Conversely, YSRCP leadership has denounced the arrests as a weaponization of police forces. They contend that Virupakshi was responding to a distress call from an activist named Giri, who allegedly feared for his life. YSRCP officials claim their members were the actual victims of a stone-pelting ambush by TDP workers. The police have registered cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and included attempt-to-murder charges in their investigation.
Source: The Hindu — National
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