Andhra police book visually challenged boy for lockdown violation

Amaravati, May 30 (IANS) The police in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district booked a visually challenged minor boy for violating Covid-19 lockdown, and the boy is running from pillar to post for nearly two months to get the case dropped against him and his younger brother.

Though the incident occurred on April 4, it came to light on Friday after the 17-year-old met officials to request them to get the case withdrawn.

A student of Class XI, he along with his brother was standing at a shop in Gonegandla to get photocopies of some documents to apply for a Rs 1,000 financial scheme of the government. The boy told local reporters that the police arrived there and registered a case against them, the shop owner and two others under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

“The police seized our mobile phones and asked us to report to the police station the next day. When we went there, they returned the phones but did not pay heed to our request to annul the case. They asked us to approach the court for the same,” he said.

Since then he has been making rounds of various offices and requesting officials to get the case dropped. He is worried that the police case may mar his prospects of getting a job in future.

A student of a junior college in Kurnool, the visually challenged teenager had come to his home town in Gonegandla due to the lockdown.

The local police said that when the case was registered, they did not know that he was visually challenged.

Kurnool District Superintendent of Police K. Fakkeerappa said an inquiry would be conducted and action will be taken against the policemen if they are found at fault.

–IANS

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