Gambhiraopet sub-inspector Ch. Srikanth was suspended in Telangana on Saturday after allegations that he subjected two journalists to third-degree treatment, prompting a departmental inquiry into the conduct of the police officer.
The suspension orders were issued by S. Chandrashekhar Reddy, inspector general of police for Multi Zone-I. The two journalists, identified as Pothuri Shekhar and Rathipalli Sampath, work for a vernacular newspaper.
The allegations also included dereliction of duty. The report did not provide details of the circumstances that led to the alleged treatment, the nature of the injuries, or the journalists’ current medical condition. The allegations have not been adjudicated in the material supplied for this report.
Before the suspension, Karimnagar superintendent of police Mahesh B. Gite attached Srikanth to the Armed Reserve headquarters and ordered an inquiry based on the allegations. The subsequent suspension by the inspector general places the officer away from his regular posting while the departmental process proceeds.
The case brings the actions of a local police station under review by the department’s senior hierarchy. The allegations concern the treatment of working journalists, making the inquiry relevant not only to police discipline but also to protections for media workers dealing with law-enforcement agencies.
The supplied report does not state whether any criminal case has been registered, whether the two journalists have submitted written complaints, or when the inquiry is expected to be completed. The next formal development will be the outcome of the departmental investigation ordered by the police authorities.
