Dalit ZPTC husband arrested for exposing belt shops

Tadepalli, Oct 17:Duggirala ZPTC member Mekathoti Aruna strongly condemned the illegal midnight arrest of her husband Dasari Veeraiah and accused Minister Nara Lokesh of using the police force to target Dalits and silence those who question his failures. 
Addressing media at YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli along with Mangalagiri YSRCP Incharge Dontireddy Vemareddy, Aruna said that she is being harassed for raising her voice against the widespread illegal belt shops in Mangalagiri constituency.
Aruna said she wrote an official letter as an elected ZPTC member during the Duggirala Mandal Parishad General Body meeting on October 10, questioning the unchecked sale of illegal liquor and demanding action. Unable to digest the truth, Lokesh allegedly misused the police to register a false murder case against her husband.
“Is this democracy or police rule? Dalits like us are being targeted with fabricated cases. Lokesh wants to silence anyone who questions his failures. Despite threats, I will continue to stand by the people under the leadership of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy,” Aruna declared.
She also revealed that Lokesh earlier tried to implicate her husband in another false case in Tummapudi soon after the coalition government came to power. “Wherever a crime happens, Lokesh orders police to frame my husband. He is behaving like a dictator,” she added.
Mangalagiri YSRCP incharge Dontireddy Vemareddy condemned the brutal behavior of the police, who forcibly took Veeraiah away at midnight without warrant, terrorizing the family including their differently-abled daughter. He questioned whether Ambedkar’s Constitution is being followed in Andhra Pradesh or Lokesh’s private ‘Red Book’ Constitution.
He warned, “Misusing power to intimidate YSRCP leaders and Dalit representatives is a dangerous trend. People are watching this oppression and will give a fitting reply.”