The coalition government in Andhra Pradesh has unleashed a wave of organized police crime, blatantly violating law and justice to settle political scores. Leaders and social media activists of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are being targeted with illegal cases, detentions, and arrests. Strategically, dozens of cases are filed against individuals, leading to months-long imprisonments. Arrests are made without issuing 41A notices or informing relatives, and detainees are held without even being told the charges against them. Forced confessions are extracted under duress, naming targeted leaders as part of a vicious witch-hunt.
Constitutional Rights Under Siege
Since the coalition government assumed power, constitutional rights in Andhra Pradesh have been systematically stripped away. The administration is enforcing a so-called “Red Book Constitution,” aimed at destroying the properties of YSRCP leaders, orchestrating attacks, and resorting to illegal arrests and detentions. Sections of law meant for terrorists and hardened criminals are being misused against YSRCP cadres and social media activists, reflecting a governance steeped in tyranny. Over the past ten months, hundreds of YSRCP leaders and workers have been murdered, while coalition cadres run amok, attacking and vandalizing properties with impunity.
A Planned Assault Since December 2024
Opposing these atrocities and demanding the fulfillment of the coalition’s “Super Six” promises on social media has triggered a brutal crackdown. Starting December 4, 2024, the coalition government, backed by top leaders and senior police officials, has executed a meticulously planned operation to illegally arrest hundreds of YSRCP members and social media activists. Cases are being filed over incidents from a decade ago—an unprecedented move in history—while families are kept in the dark about arrests, and detainees are tortured and held for days without case details. Even court reprimands have failed to halt this spree of vindictive arrests.
High-Profile Targets in the Crosshairs
Prominent figures like former Minister Jogi Ramesh’s son Rajeev, Vallabhaneni Vamsi, former MP Nandigam Suresh, former Minister Pinipe Vishwaroop’s son Srikanth, MLCs Talashila Raghuram and Lella Appireddy, Perni Nani, and actor Posani Krishna Murali are being relentlessly harassed with fabricated cases as part of this vendetta. The coalition’s top brass is leaving no stone unturned to crush dissent and silence opposition voices.
Modus Operandi Unveiled
The coalition’s sinister playbook includes:
- Mass Fabrication of Cases: Dozens of illegal cases are filed against targeted YSRCP leaders and activists, with nearly 50 individuals slapped with multiple charges.
- Arrests Without Cause: Police summon individuals under the guise of 41A notices, only to arrest them without explanation or informing families, flouting legal norms.
- Torture and Illegal Detention: Detainees are held for days without being produced in court, subjected to torture and coercion.
- Forced Confessions: Accused are forced to sign confessions implicating targeted leaders, such as YSRCP’s Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, ensnaring them in the dragnet.
Justice Denied at Every Turn
The coalition’s audacity extends to thwarting justice itself. Over 25 habeas corpus petitions have been filed in the High Court to secure the release of illegally detained individuals, only for police to concoct fresh false cases to prolong their ordeal. Families are denied FIR copies, remand reports, and basic information about charges. Supreme Court guidelines mandating 41A notices for offenses with less than seven years’ punishment are openly defied, with arrests made without notice and detainees sent to remand in secrecy.
A Police State in Action
The coalition’s tactics resemble those used against hardened criminals: midnight raids, intimidation, and arrests without due process. A single social media post can trigger dozens of cases across the state. In an astonishing twist, incidents from a decade ago—like Posani Krishna Murali’s 2017 Nandi Awards comments—are being dredged up to file fresh cases, showcasing the depths of this vendetta-driven governance.
Even Lawyers Aren’t Spared
The coalition’s brazenness knows no bounds—it even targets lawyers aiding the accused. YSRCP Legal Cell State President M. Manohar Reddy, former CID Legal Advisor I. Venkateswarlu, Legal Cell Zonal In-Charge O. Gavaskar, and Kadapa District Legal Cell President Nagireddy Sudarshan Reddy face trumped-up charges for merely seeking justice. Manohar Reddy, who doesn’t even post on social media, was slapped with cases just for assisting activists—a chilling testament to the coalition’s murder of democracy.
This reign of terror under the coalition government is a dark chapter in Andhra Pradesh’s history, where power is wielded not to serve but to oppress, and justice is a distant dream for those who dare to resist.
