Tension continues to prevail in Lakshmipeta

25 June, 2012

Tension continued to prevail in Lakshmipeta village under Vangara Mandal of Lakshmipeta where four Dalits were killed by Kapu community on 12th June 2012, and another man from the same community sustained injuries died in KGH at Visakhapatnam on June 20 - bringing the total deaths to five.

CID INSPECTOR General N Chandra Mouli visited Lakshmipeta in Vangara Mandal of Srikakulam District for on spot enquiry and to find out what kinds of weapons were used in the attack. Mr Chandra Mouli told the media that the CID team would also collect details from Revenue Officials and why and in what circumstances they had failed to prevent the incident.

The officials also had a long discussion with Lakshmipeta former Sarpanch Cittiri Gangulu on the long standing enmity between Dalits and the members of Backward Community (Kapu) regarding the Government-acquired left over (unused land) for Madduvalasa reservoir.

Several organizations, leaders from various parties, which includes the ruling congress, opposition party leaders and human right activists have met only the leaders and Dalit family members - ignoring the other side to find out the truth as to who was responsible for the deaths of the five members belonging to Dalit families.

Telugu Desam President Nara Chandra Babu Naidu on June 21, 2012, had told news persons at Lakshmipeta that the Kiran Government in Andhra Pradesh had not done any justice to the Dalits of Lakshmipeta who were victims of upper caste 'zulum' in Srikakulam district.

He also distributed one lakh rupees to each family of four members - those who had been killed on 12th June 2012. More than 200 armed constabulary has been deployed in Lakshmipeta to avert untoward incidents in coming days. Almost all the male members from Kapu families have left Lakshmipeta out of fear, and even some of the ladies belonging to same community have left Lakshmipeta, and their whereabouts are not known.