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Woman found hanging in AP police station

The Andhra Pradesh government today ordered a judicial inquiry and suspended two constables in the all-woman police station in Vijayawada following the death of a woman in custody.

Kona Krishnakumari (30) was found hanging by her sari in the police station lock-up last morning.

She was reportedly brought to the station for interrogation on Wednesday evening following a complaint that a 19-year-old girl was missing from April 19 last.

School Education Minister D Venkataramana told reporters in Vijayawada that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had taken a very serious view of the incident and ordered a judicial inquiry.

He handed over an ex-gratia of Rs100,000 to the victim's mother.

He also announced that the government would bear the education expenses of the victim's 13-year-old daughter.

Meanwhile, Director-General of Police H J Dora suspended two women police constables, Raghurani and Vijay Ragini, of the all-woman police station.

Expressing shock and grief over the incident, he said that despite clear-cut instructions that no woman should be kept in a lock-up at night, she was detained there.

Stating that the case had been handed over to the crime branch, criminal investigation department, Dora also directed that cases under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code be registered against the police personnel.

Earlier, cases under section 176 of the Criminal Penal Code were registered against them.

Meanwhile, several Congress politicians alleged that Krishnakumari had died because of the use of third degree methods.

They also demanded immediate suspension of the local deputy commissioner of police, who is the acting commissioner of Vijayawada.

UNI

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