YSRCP Mandapeta Candidate Thota Trimurthulu Sentenced to 18 Months in Tonsure Case

A Visakhapatnam court sentenced ruling YSRCP candidate for Mandapeta Assembly Constituency Thota Trimurtulu to 18 months imprisonment after convicting him in the Venkatayapalem Tonsure case which took place in the then united East Godavari district way back in 1996.

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): A court here on Tuesday sentenced ruling YSRCP MLC Thota Trimurtulu to 18 months imprisonment and slapped a fine of two and a half lakhs in the Venkatayapalem Tonsure case. Thota Trimurthulu, who is accused in this case, is currently contesting as a candidate in Mandapeta assembly seat on behalf of the CM Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP.

Later, the Visakha District Court granted bail to Thota Trimurthulu and others convicted in the case. All the 10 accused were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in this case. The court's verdict is welcomed by Dalits and civil society organisations.

The tonsure case came to light on December 29, 1996 in Venkatayapalem of Ramachandrapuram mandal of East Godavari district. The main allegations are that the victims Koti Chinaraju, Dadala Venkataratnam, Kanikella Ganapathy, Challapudi Pattabhi Ramaiah and Puvvala Venkataramana have been involved in eve teasing of the girls and wrote obscene writings.

Cases have been registered against four of them. After that, Thota Trimurtulu, who is a local independent MLA, along with Thota Babulu, Thota Ramu, Thota Pundarikakshalu, Thota Babi, Talatum Murali Mohan, Devella Kishore, Thota Srinu, Mancham Prakash and Achanta Ramasatyanarayana were accused of tonsuring two of the victims and removing their eyebrows at their house in Venkatayapalem. The main allegations are that the victims were subjected to torture. A case of SC and ST atrocities has been registered in Draksharamam police station on this matter at that time.

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