Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, 3 July 2025, visited the residence of Kranthi Kumar, a Dalit taxi driver who allegedly died by suicide following months of harassment by police personnel in Vijayawada. Jagan pledged the party's full support to the bereaved family and vowed to pursue justice through every available legal avenue.

Who Was Kranthi Kumar

Kranthi Kumar, a taxi driver aged under 40, had no criminal conviction to his name. Minor cases registered against him nearly eight years ago had already been closed without any punishment. Despite this, he was allegedly compelled to report to the Krishnalanka Police Station every single day for nearly three months, where he was subjected to continuous harassment. Before his death, he recorded a selfie video — described as a dying declaration — naming former Krishnalanka Circle Inspector Nagaraju and other police personnel as responsible for the ordeal that drove him to take his own life.

What Jagan Found at the Family's Home

Jagan met Kranthi Kumar's wife, children, and father, listened to their account of the harassment, and described the family's condition as heartbreaking. He said the family lives in extreme poverty in a small house, with three young children now left without their father. He assured them that YSRCP would provide legal support and, if necessary, fight in court to secure justice.

Allegations of a 'Protection Racket'

Addressing the media after the visit, Jagan alleged a chain of protection shielding those responsible. 'A protection racket is operating in the capital itself. Former CI Nagaraju is protected by the Commissioner, the Commissioner is protected by the DGP, and the DGP is protected by the Chief Minister,' he said. He noted that the incident occurred within close proximity of the Chief Minister's residence, the Vijayawada Police Commissioner's Office, the Director General of Police's Office, and the Home Minister's Office. He said that even after Kranthi Kumar's father personally showed the dying declaration video to the Police Commissioner following his son's death, no action was initiated.

Missing CCTV Footage Raises Fresh Questions

Jagan pointed to the disappearance of CCTV footage from Krishnalanka Police Station as a serious red flag. According to him, two deaths — one custodial death and one suicide — had occurred within a month under the jurisdiction of the same station. One remand report states that footage from 1 May to 1 June is unavailable, while another report indicates footage for the past 18 months is missing. He questioned how mandatory CCTV recordings from a police station could simply vanish and whether no backup systems existed, alleging that the erasure points to systematic illegal activity inside the station.

Demand for SC/ST Act Case and Government Accountability

Jagan criticised the state government for failing to register a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act despite the gravity of the incident. He argued that Kranthi Kumar's own recorded statement constitutes clear evidence, and questioned why no action has been taken against those named. This comes amid growing scrutiny of policing practices in Andhra Pradesh, with opposition parties and civil society groups calling for an independent probe. The state government has not publicly responded to Jagan's allegations as of the time of this report.