TV Reporter Mercilessly Beaten by TTD Officials

August 14, 2006

TV REPORTER AND HIS ESCORT MANHANDLED BY TTD OFFICIALS

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to the incident that took place with Shri Om Prakash Agarwal, representing a private TV Channel from Bangalore and Shri Damodar, Sewa Bharati and a resident of Tadepalligudem, who were illegally detained by TTD's (A)Dharma Reddy and the Vigilance Officer, Nagur Reddy for 36 Hrs and badly manhandled.

* What was the reason for Detaining Shri Agarwal, that too in this case it was clearly illegal!

On Saturday, 30/07/2006, Shri Om Prakash Agarwal, from Bangalore along with a guide from Tadepalli Gudem, Shri Damodar reached Tirumala to take videos to make a documentary for his channel. He was shooting some Crosses which was in News for Evangelism on the Holy Hills.

The 'locals' prevented them from taking the videos, detained them and handed them over to Nagur Reddy, Vigilance Officer of the TTD with the complaint that they were the ones who drew the pictures in the first place.

It is out in the open that under custody 2 of them were kicked about in abdomen with booted legs, threatening them with a loaded revolver in hand, to "admit" that they drew the cross, while the truth is that they came to record on video the "cross" paintings on the Holy Hill.

It appears that the two were then handed over to police after 36 hrs of illegal detention by the TTD and now the police have stated that there is no evidence to prove that these two were the ones who "painted the cross" at Balaji Nagar and have 'released' them after "interrogation".

* Why was this kind of a treatment was meted out to them?

* If this is the way responsible people of the press are treated then what about safety of common people on the street?

* Why this kind of a support to evangelists??

* Why was all the Videos Shot by Mr.Agarwal seized by TTD, What did that Contain? The Public have every right to know.

I request The President of India, The NHRC, The Members of Parliament to please look into the matter and :-

* Take strict action (be it life imprisonment) against the people who tortured Shri Agarwal & the others.

* Fully compensate Shri Agarwal & the others.

* A Public Apology from the people who were involved in torturing Shri. Agarwal & his group

Tommorow any citizen may become a target

Please Sign a Petition and Voice your protest

PRESIDENT OF INDIA : presidentofindia (AT) rb (DOT) nic.in,

National Human rights Commission : covdnhrc (AT) nic (DOT) in, ionhrc (AT) nic (DOT) in