Dalit groups demand action against Jana Sena MLA for 'attack' on doctor

Amaravati, Sep 22 : Dalit groups have demanded action against Jana Sena MLA Pantham Venkateswara Rao for allegedly assaulting and abusing a senior doctor of Rangaraya Medical College (RMC) in Kakinada.

The MLA from Kakinada Rural constituency along with his followers barged into the playground of RMC and assaulted and abused P. Uma Maheswara Rao for not allowing outsiders to play in the ground, Dalit groups said.

Jana Sena is a partner in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Andhra Pradesh.

The MLA, who is also known as Nanaji, threatened to kill the doctor, pulled his mask, and raised his hand to hit him. The MLA's supporters also assaulted the doctor.

The incident occurred on Saturday night when some local youth complained to the MLA that they were not being allowed to play volleyball in RMC Ground.

Uma Maheswara Rao, head of the forensic department and secretary of the Sports Board of RMC, and other doctors had barred the entry of outsiders into the playground as students complained that they were not getting a chance to play. The female students also stopped using the ground due to the "misbehaviour" of the outsiders.

On Saturday evening when outsiders were not allowed to enter the playground, they picked-up into an argument with RMC Vice-Principal Vishnu Vardhan, other doctors and students and created a nuisance. Some locals complained to the MLA and alleged that RMC doctors were abusing him.

Nanaji with his supporters rushed to the playground and abused and assaulted Uma Maheswara Rao.

RMC Principal complained to Kakinada Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil. The SP along with Collector S. Shan Mohan visited the college. Later, the MLA apologised for the incident.

However, Dalit groups were not satisfied with the apology. They demanded that the government take action against the MLA. Government doctors also wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, urging him to take action against Nanaji.

State Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav condemned the attack on senior doctors and students of the government medical college.

Stating that the government will not tolerate such incidents, he assured that action would be taken against the guilty after an inquiry.