Vijayawada: YSRCP President and Former AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited the residence of Kranthi Kumar, a Dalit youth on Thursday who recently died by suicide due to alleged police harassment.

YS Jagan met Kranthi Kumar’s wife, children and father, consoled them. He listened from the bereaved family members how police repeatedly harassed Kranthi Kumar. He assured the bereaved family that the YSRCP would stand firmly by them and fight until justice is delivered.

Speaking to the media persons YS Jagan said that  Kranthi Kumar, who died by suicide after recording a selfie video detailing months of police harassment and naming former Krishnalanka CI Nagaraju and other police personnel. This has become another tragic symbol of the collapse of the policing system in AP.

YS Jagan said that Kranthi Kumar family condition as heartbreaking, he said they are living in extreme poverty in a small house, with three young children now left without their father. He is a taxi driver and had no conviction against him. Minor cases registered nearly eight years ago had already been closed and no punishment had ever been imposed. Yet, despite this, he was forced to report to the police station every day for nearly three months, subjected to continuous harassment that ultimately drove him to take his own life.

Such incidents demonstrate how dangerously the police system has deteriorated, he said. YS Jagan pointed out that Kranthi Kumar himself explained everything in his recorded dying declaration, stating that he had been summoned to the police station every day for three months, subjected to harassment, and forced by the police to do things he should never have been compelled to do. Despite such a clear video statement, no action has been taken against those responsible, he said.

YS Jagan said that a protection racket is operating in the capital itself. Former CI Nagaraju is protected by the Commissioner, the Commissioner is protected by the DGP, and the DGP is protected by the Chief Minister.

YS Jagan said two deaths had occurred within a month under the jurisdiction of the same police station, one custodial death and one suicide. Yet, mandatory CCTV footage from the police station has vanished. One remand report states that footage from May 1^st to June 1^st is unavailable, while another report says footage for the past 18 months is missing, he added. YS Jagan questioned how CCTV footage from a police station could simply disappear and asked whether no backup systems existed.

The Government for failing to register a case despite the seriousness of the incident and said an SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act case should have been registered, he said. YSRCP will provide every possible assistance including legal support, and would fight in court if necessary to ensure justice, he said.