CID probes violence during Jagan's yatra

The Crime Investigation Department began its probe into the Mahbubabad violence that erupted during the 'Odarpu yatra' of Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, in which 24 people were injured.

Three teams of the CID, led by Additional DGP A Sivanarayana visited Mahbubabad town and the railway station, which witnessed a group clash and heavy stone-hurling between pro-Telangana activists and followers of Jagan on May 28.

"We have begun the probe. We have collected the documents and the investigation is in very preliminary stage," Sivanarayana told PTI.

Nine Telangana statehood supporters had suffered bullet injuries after gunmen of Congress legislators fired on them. Besides, eight policemen and seven civilians were also injured in stone-throwing at the railway station.

Defending his department, state DGP R R Girish Kumar, had yesterday dismissed reports about police failure to prevent violence. The top cop had asserted that police did not create any hurdles for Jagan's yatra and in fact took all possible precautionary measures to ensure that it moved peacefully.

"We will investigate all angles that led to the violence. We are sending our own officers (CID) to verify deployment of forces, how the forces acted, deficiency on their part if any, besides to probe the firing incident," the DGP had said.

Following the violence, Jagan was taken into preventive custody and he had to abandon his yatra, which was organised to console families who have lost their dear ones due to suicide or heart attack following the death of his father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.