Govt announces Rs three lakh exgratia to family of firing victim

Hyderabad, Mar 27: Andhra Pradesh Government announced an exgratia of Rs three lakhs to the family of the deceased, who lost his life in the police firing in Gangavaram village today, and said an all party meeting will be convened on March 29 to sort out the problem.

Rejecting the Opposition demand for a judicial probe into the ''unfortunate incident'' which left one person dead and more than 60, including 22 policemen injured, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy told the State Assembly that a senior IAS officer would hold an impartial inquiry and those found guilty would be punished.

Stating that the Government owned responsibility for the incident, he appealed to the members not to resort to accusations and put hurdles to the state's development.

Government Chief Whip N Kirankumar Reddy, on behalf of the congress Legislature Party, announced that the party would provide an additional Rs one lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

Police had been given clear instructions to resort to firing only as a last resort, the Chief Minister said and cited an incident at Thotapalli when policemen had retreated only after being attacked by an angry mob.

As CPI(M) floor leader N Narasimhaiah lamented that Rs three lakh announced by the Government was paltry and his party would beg and provide a bigger amount to the affected, the Chief Minister said Mr Narasimhaiah was free to collect donations for the affected.

Denying TDP's charge that the Congress Government was acting with vengeance against the Backward fishermen community, Dr Reddy referred to incidents of police firings during the previous TDP regime.

Earlier, Home Minister K Jana Reddy said as villagers started attacking the police with stones and sticks, they opened fire in self-defence in order to bring the situation under control.

The situation was tense but under control after additional police force rushed to the spot, he added.

The Home Minister said as a large number of people gathered at Gangavaram village as per their announced programme of stopping port work, the DCP (Law&Order) with ten platoons of APSP/AR police personnel went to the spot. Prohibitory orders were promulgated. The deceased was identified as Chowdapally Nooka Raju, a steel plant worker, he added.

Commercial Taxes Minister K Ramakrishna said that the Government's relief and rehabilitation policy was the best in the country. A jetty had been constructed at a nearby village at a cost of Rs five crore and the fishermen had been asked not to vacate Gangavaram as they would get a good price for their land once the Green Port becomes operational.

Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu demanded the Government suspend Special Deputy Collector Mohan Reddy and announce Rs five lakh compensation to the deceased and Rs two lakh to the injured fishermen. He also demanded a special package for the fishermen who would lose their livelihood, including Rs three lakh as compensation and suitable jobs in the Port.

Mr Narasimhaiah and CPI floor leader Ch Venkata Reddy demanded immediate stoppage of the port work.

Urging the Government to prevent police ''excesses'', TRS floor Leader G Vijayarama Rao demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased.

BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy criticised the Government for going ahead with the port work without giving any compensation to the fishermen on the pretext that model code of conduct was in force in view of the Assembly by-elections.

UNI