TDP national general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Sunday regretted that the police force is acting as a private army of the State Government and resorting to suppress the leaders of the Opposition parties and activists.

Lokesh said that Minister, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, has been running a wild regime in Punganur. The Dalit leader of the TDP and secretary of State SC cell, Mullangi Venkata Ramana, against whom no cases are pending, has been illegally detained by the Kallur police inspector, Katti Srinivasulu, and he is subjected to various kinds of torture, Lokesh said. This reminds of Taliban rule prevailing in the State, he remarked in the press note.

Though Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been claiming from the public platforms owning the SCs, STs, BCs and minorities saying my SCs, my STs and my BCs, the ground reality is totally different as they are facing untold hardships and atrocities, Lokesh said.

Demanding an immediate action against the Kallur police inspector who illegally detained the Dalit TDP leader, Lokesh said that a case under the provisions of the SC,ST Atrocities Act be booked against the police official. “I appeal to the State Government to check the state violence on Dalits and uphold the democratic values,” Lokesh said in the press note.