Woman alleges brutality in police custody in Andhra's Chittor, cops deny

Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 24 (ANI): A woman was allegedly beaten up by the police at Chittoor 1 Town police station in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
In a video shared by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Twitter, victim M. Umamaheswari of Lakshmi Nagar Colony at Chittoor 1 Town police station limits claimed that she was harassed by the police officials at the police station, pressurising her to accept a theft allegation that was falsely levelled against her by her owner.
She said that she was working as a maid at the residence of Venugopal Reddy, Superintendent of District Prisons of Chittoor.
Umamaheswari said there was a clash between Venugopal Reddy and his wife regarding some missing money when she visited their house as part of daily work. At that time, the couple asked her about the missing money.
Reacting to that, she replied that she was unaware of the money.
Later, Venugopal Reddy lodged a complaint against Umamaheswari, at the police station alleging that she was the thief.
She was taken into custody after the cash of Rs 2 lakh was found missing from the officers' house.
Based on the complaint, the police interrogated both Umamaheswari and her husband. Umamaheswari has claimed that the police insisted them to accept the allegations and return the money.
In the same video, Umamaheswari said, "The Police harassed me. Used filthy language against me. They tortured me in a dark room at the police station. Police did not allow me to return to home till late nights".
Reacting to it in conversation with ANI over the phone, Srinivasa Rao, Sub Inspector of Police, Chittoor 1 Town refused all the allegations and said that there was "no truth" in her statements.
The police officials shared a press release in the name of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chittoor, refusing the allegations.
The police informed, "Venugopal Reddy lodged a complaint against Umamaheswari suspecting her involvement in the theft of Rs 2 lakh, at his house. Based on the complaint, police investigation started. By sending a formal notice to her, the police invited to Station and inquired. She accepted that she took the money. On her acceptance, the police questioned where was that money put. She revealed that, the money was with her husband Deena. She added that if the police would allow, then she would go to her husband and bring back the money. But, the police neither harassed, nor tortured, nor used abusive words against her as she alleged. Since she was asked to return the money, she started alleging on police".
Meanwhile, the TDP condemned the incident calling it "barbaric" and "brutal". (ANI)