Andhra Pradesh Suspends Police Officer, Orders Independent Probe into Man's Disappearance After Custody

The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended Circle Inspector Nagaraju of Krishnalanka police station and ordered an independent inquiry into the disappearance of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna from Vijayawada. The action follows allegations of custodial torture and a cover-up by the police.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the case with senior police officials at the Secretariat on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan was also present. The meeting took place after Naidu returned from his Singapore tour, where officials briefed him on the developments.

Following the meeting, the Chief Minister ordered the suspension of Krishnalanka CI Nagaraju and directed that the matter be investigated by a senior IPS officer. He stressed that the inquiry must be fair and independent. Pawan Kalyan also called for strict action against those found responsible.

The case relates to Sai Krishna, who allegedly went missing after being taken into police custody in May. His family has accused Inspector Nagaraju of torturing him to death and secretly cremating his body without informing them. These allegations emerged after his mother spent weeks searching for him, approached senior police officials, and later moved the court, prompting the government to order a probe.

According to the family, Sai Krishna has been missing since May 9. His mother, Gade Vijaya Lakshmi, alleged that he was picked up by Krishnalanka police from Markapuram and never returned. She later filed a habeas corpus petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, seeking directions to produce her son in court.

The High Court asked the police to trace Sai Krishna and present him before the bench. However, the government told the court that his whereabouts were still unknown. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 29.

During the hearing, Sai Krishna's lawyer said he may have died due to custodial torture and alleged that the police were trying to hide the facts. The court has directed authorities to take immediate steps to trace him.

Meanwhile, YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has demanded a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death. He accused senior police officials of being involved in a cover-up and said suspending one officer was not enough. Reddy visited Sai Krishna's family and described the case as 'most heart-rending.' He also linked it to another case in which a man allegedly died by suicide in May after accusing Inspector Nagaraju of harassment in a video message.

'Suspending the CI alone is not enough. Everyone responsible, including senior officials, must be held accountable,' Reddy said. He demanded a CBI investigation, saying only an independent agency could bring out the truth. He also alleged that attempts were being made to portray Sai Krishna as a criminal after his disappearance and assured support to the family in their fight for justice.

YSRCP leaders have termed the IPS-led inquiry an 'eyewash' and accused the government of trying to shield higher officials.