Rajagopal's escape act : Police Commissioner, 5 other cops suspended
Vijayawada Police Commissioner Rajendra Nath Reddy and five other policemen were suspended after Congress MP L Rajagopal escaped from a Vijayawada hospital and later resurfaced in Hyderabad.
45-year-old Rajagopal, who has been on a fast for the past nine days in support of a united Andhra Pradesh and had wanted to be shifted to Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, had fled from the Government Hospital in Vajayawada last night.
He was admitted in the Vijayawada hospital four days back after being taken into custody by the police.
Taking serious note of the escape of Rajagopal, who represents Vijayawada in Lok Sabha, the state government placed Reddy, a 1992 batch IPS officer, under suspension holding him responsible for the incident.
"The failure and irresponsibility of police was glaring in Rajagopal's escape. There is suspicion whether the police connived with him. An inquiry has been ordered into the whole issue," Chief Minister K Rosaiah said at the end of an emergency meeting with some of his Cabinet colleagues in the state secretariat in Hyderabad.
Earlier, state Director General of Police R R Girish Kumar issued orders suspending five policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, in Vijayawada.
The officers are A V Subba Rao, ACP (Central Zone) Vijayawada city, two Inspectors of Police K Dharmendra and C H Lakshmipathi and two Sub-Inspectors P Bhaskara Rao and Sri R V S Kamalakar, sources in the DGP's office said.
Rajgopal, who has been on a fast for the past nine days protesting against decision to create Telangana carved out of Andhra Pradesh, had walked out of the hospital at around 2230 hours yesterday, giving a slip to about 200 policemen deployed around the complex. He surfaced at NIMS at 1300 hours today.
About 300 policemen, providing security to the hospital, were caught off guard as the MP gave them a slip.
Though the policemen tried to chase the MP, they failed to nab him as he reportedly changed vehicles to evade being caught.
Prior to his escape from the hospital, Rajagopal had sent a letter to Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari complaining about the poor facilities in the Vijayawada government Hospital and sought to be shifted to NIMS.
Soon after Rajagopal reached NIMS by an autorickshaw former Andhra Pradesh minister J C Diwakar Reddy visited the hospital and met the medical superintendent and attending doctors to inquire about the condition of the Congress MP.
Rajagopal's condition is stable and there was no need for worry about his health. He is not too weak because of his age though he has been fasting for the last over a week, Diwakar Reddy said quoting doctors.
Reddy said he did not talk to Rajagopal as he was very tired and taking rest.
On how the Congress MP reached NIMS after escaping from Vijayawada government hospital, Reddy said he has no idea because he could not speak to Rajagopal.
Meanwhile, scores of supporters of separate Telangana gathered outside NIMS and raised slogans against Rajagopal.
The demonstrators who were shouting slogans such as 'Jai Telangana' and 'Rajagopal down down' said that the Vijayawada MP could have taken treatment at his home town or Guntur and there was no need for him to come to Hyderabad.
The protesters were chased away by the police.
