Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh has witnessed strong outrage after the death of a 40-year-old Dalit woman, Mala Gangamma, with human rights groups alleging custodial torture and demanding an independent judicial investigation.
Organizations including the Human Rights Forum (HRF) and the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) have claimed that Gangamma died due to “brutal police torture” carried out during a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the disappearance of her son.
Calling for accountability, the groups said, “Her life was lost due to police barbarism during custody,” and demanded a transparent judicial inquiry into the entire episode.
Son’s Disappearance Case Led to SIT Investigation
According to the background of the case, the controversy began in November 2024 when Gangamma’s son, Virendra, went missing. Following a petition filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, an SIT was formed to investigate the case.
The SIT was led by then Guntur Additional Superintendent of Police K. Supraja. Human rights groups allege that during the investigation, police concluded that Gangamma and her associate Malla Durgayya were involved in Virendra’s alleged murder.
However, HRF and IFTU strongly dispute this claim and say the police used illegal methods during interrogation.
Allegations of Custodial Torture and Death
The fact-finding team formed by HRF and IFTU visited Badinehal village and spoke with family members and local residents before preparing its report. The team included HRF state vice president U.G. Srinivasulu, Kurnool district president K. Urukundappa, and IFTU representative Narasanna.
The organizations allege that Gangamma and Durgayya were subjected to severe custodial torture to force confessions and locate Virendra’s body.
They further claimed, “Gangamma succumbed to her injuries on May 31 due to custodial violence.”
Durgayya, the second accused, is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Kurnool and is said to be in critical condition.
Questions Raised Over Police Procedure
Human rights activists have raised several concerns about the handling of the case, including delays in medical treatment, alleged suppression of injury reports, and the hurried cremation of Gangamma’s body on June 1 in her native village Badinehal.
They also questioned the heavy police presence during the last rites and alleged that around 20 to 30 police personnel were deployed.
The groups said, “At every stage, from hospital transfer to post-mortem, serious doubts have been raised about police conduct.”
Police Version and Counterclaims
Police officials have reportedly claimed that Durgayya’s injuries were caused in a motorcycle accident. However, the fact-finding team has rejected this explanation, calling it inconsistent with medical and eyewitness accounts.
The groups also alleged that Durgayya’s family was not allowed to meet him in hospital, further raising suspicion about the investigation process.
Demand for Judicial Inquiry and Legal Action
HRF and IFTU have clarified that if anyone is found guilty of Virendra’s alleged murder, they should be prosecuted according to law. However, they stressed that custodial torture and violations of due process cannot be justified under any circumstances.
The organizations have demanded a re-post-mortem of Gangamma’s body and called for an independent judicial or impartial investigation into the entire incident.
They have also urged authorities to register cases under murder charges and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the officials responsible if allegations of custodial violence are proven.
