A special court in Visakhapatnam sentenced YSR Congress Party MLC Thota Trimurthulu and nine others to 18-month imprisonment and ordered a fine of Rs 42,000 each for tonsuring two Dalit youths 28 years back. However, the district court granted bail to Trimurthulu.
In the high-profile 1996 case, Trimurthulu, YSRCP candidate for the Mandapeta Assembly seat in Konaseema district in next month's polls, sought recourse in the district court following the verdict delivered by the XI Additional District and Session Court cum special court for trying cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, according to a report on IANS.
On December 29, 1996, Trimurthulu, who was an independent MLA of Ramachandrapuram at the time, allegedly tonsured two Dalit youngsters, Koti Chinna Raju and Dandala Venkata Ratnam, and assaulted three others, Challapudi Pattabhiramayya, Kanikella Ganapati, and Puvvala Venkata Ramana of Venkatayapalem in East Godavari district. This act reportedly occurred due to their opposition to him during the Assembly elections.
The victims, who had worked as polling agents for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), lodged a complaint, leading to a case being registered in 1997 at Draksharamam police station in East Godavari district.
Subsequently, Trimurthulu went on to be elected as an MLA on the TDP ticket in 1999 and 2014 before eventually joining the YSR Congress.
The recent verdict on this long-standing case has stirred varied reactions. While the victims have expressed satisfaction, stating that justice has finally been served after 28 years, responses from Dalit groups and people's organizations have been mixed. Some believe that the punishment meted out to the convicts does not align proportionately with the severity of the crime committed.
Trimurthulu reassured his supporters, urging them not to lose hope, as he intends to contest the sentence in the High Court.