The custodial death of Saikrishna has sparked a massive political controversy in Andhra Pradesh. YSRCP senior leader and former Proddatur MLA Rachamallu Siva Prasad Reddy leveled severe allegations, claiming that the “land mafia” and intense pressures from key leaders of the ruling alliance are the actual reasons behind this tragic incident. Strongly criticizing the state’s law enforcement, he stated that the police system has entirely transformed into Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s private army, a remark that is currently creating ripples across political and legal circles in the state.
Revealing the alleged motives, Rachamallu stated that a ruling party MLA and an MP exerted immense pressure on the police regarding a massive land deal dispute in the Jaggayyapeta jurisdiction. He alleged that under their direct orders and the supervision of City Police Commissioner Rajasekhar, Circle Inspector Nagaraju and his team took Saikrishna into custody, subjected him to brutal third-degree torture, and executed a well-planned murder in collusion with the Task Force and Krishnalanka police. While acknowledging that there were two non-bailable warrants against the victim, the former MLA accused the police of completely wiping out CCTV footage in the stations to destroy all possible evidence of the crime.
Highlighting glaring loopholes in the investigation, Rachamallu pointed out that the remand report submitted to the court conspicuously lacked basic details, such as the exact time of Saikrishna’s death, indicating that the accused cops themselves drafted the report to cover their tracks. He asserted that a case was filed against CI Nagaraju only because of relentless pressure from civil society organizations and the YSRCP. Demanding absolute justice, he questioned why the real masterminds—including senior IPS officers and politicians—were being shielded, and strongly demanded an immediate CBI inquiry to unearth the absolute truth behind the custodial death.
