Tribal women arrested in midnight over forced land acquisition

Tadepalli, July 25: YSRCP strongly condemns the government’s coercive tactics in the forced acquisition of tribal lands in Karedu village, Nellore district, and the illegal arrests of three tribal women who opposed it. Speaking at a press conference at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli, MLC Thumati Madhavarao lambasted the government for resorting to unethical political maneuvers to seize land, disregarding the rights and voices of tribal communities.
In a shocking incident, three tribal women, Manikala Sujatha, Manikala Shireesha, and Mallavarapu Lalitha, were arrested in a midnight raid by police for opposing the land acquisition. The authorities, citing a fabricated family dispute, forcibly took the women away in police vehicles without informing their families of their whereabouts. “This is a gross violation of justice. The police, who are meant to uphold the law, are acting as puppets of local MLAs, targeting tribal women who dare to speak out,” said MLC Madhavarao. He questioned whether the state operates under the Constitution drafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar or the so-called “Red Book” constituion propagated by Nara Lokesh.
The arrests sparked outrage, with over 500 tribal community members staging a protest outside the local police station, demanding answers about the women’s whereabouts. “The police’s refusal to provide even basic information to the families is unacceptable and exposes the state’s apathy toward marginalized communities,” Madhavarao asserted. He emphasized that the government must respect the will of the people, particularly when they explicitly refuse to part with their lands. “Is it justifiable to unleash police on women in the dead of night simply because they say no to giving up their land?” he demanded.
The YSRCP decries the lack of protection for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the state and government creating an environment where marginalized groups, especially women, face intimidation from law enforcement. MLC Madhavarao announced that the party will lodge a formal complaint with the National ST Commission to address this injustice. Additionally, the issue will be raised in the upcoming Legislative Council sessions to hold the government accountable for its actions and the police’s conduct.
The YSRCP demands the immediate release of the arrested women, transparency regarding their detention, and an end to the coercive land acquisition practices in Karedu.