Dalit leader killed in Kurnool, stirs statewide protests

Kurnool: A wave of anger and tension swept through Kurnool district following the brutal killing of a Dalit leader Ramesh, Andhra Pradesh State working president of Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS). The incident took place on Friday evening, near Bonthiralla Road in Bondumadugula village of Pattikonda constituency, when Ramesh was allegedly attacked while on his routine evening walk.

The assailants reportedly rammed a tractor into him from behind and assaulted him with iron rods, leaving him critically injured.

Local residents who noticed the incident alerted his family members, who immediately shifted him to the Kurnool Government General Hospital for advanced medical care.

Despite intensive treatment, Ramesh succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning. News of his death spread rapidly, triggering protests and condemnations not only across Kurnool district but also at the state level, with Dalit organisations terming the attack a premeditated and barbaric act.

In protest against the killing, SC and ST Dalit leaders staged a late-night demonstration at the Kurnool District Collectorate around 9.00 pm on Friday.

Leaders belonging to various Dalit organisations and political parties demanded the immediate arrest and remand of all those involved in the crime and called for stringent punishment to the accused.

They alleged serious lapses in maintaining law and order and warned that failure to deliver justice would lead to intensified agitation.

In protest against the killing, Dalit organisations staged a dharna in front of the Kurnool Collectorate on Saturday. The protesters demanded the immediate arrest of the accused and stringent punishment for those responsible for the crime.

They also urged the state government to ensure justice for the victim’s family and to take concrete steps to prevent such violent incidents in the future. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation, while security has been tightened in sensitive areas to prevent further unrest.

The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of Dalit leaders in Andhra Pradesh and has put the district administration under severe pressure to act swiftly.