Investigation into the police intercepting the vehicle of an IAS officer who went to supervise the Budameru flood relief operations seems to be turning into a clash between IAS and IPS officers. At 7 AM on September 4, the IAS officer’s vehicle reached Budameru Junction across the Government Press Bridge.
A controversy arose when senior IAS officer Prasanna Venkatesh, who was working as director of social welfare, to oversee relief efforts in flood-affected areas, came in his vehicle and an SI who was on duty at the beginning of the Budameru Bridge, blocked his vehicle.
All levels of authorities like DIGs and IGs level officials who came to work on that day were also blocked and those officers went on foot from Budameru Center via Singh Nagar flyover. Only vehicles providing food and drinking water to the flood victims, ambulances, NDRF and SDRF vehicles are allowed on the flyover.
It was decided to stop vehicular traffic as thousands of homeless people have been entering the city on foot on the flyover. The senior IAS became angry for blocking his vehicle and he was not allowed even to complain to the IG over phone. Moreover, he became embarrassed as the entire scene was reported in the media with photos.
An argument also took place between them at this time. As the police did not allow him to turn back, the IAS officer walked for some distance and then reached Singh Nagar in a police vehicle. Due to the uproar over this matter, IAS officer Prasanna Venkatesh complained to the government that his vehicle had been deliberately blocked.
This led to a probe by the police authorities. The probe also included how the photos and videos of the incident reached the media? When the IAS officer’s argument with the police was going on, a local who went to the flood- affected areas of Budameru shot videos and it seems that he was identified based on the CCTV cameras there.
In the police investigation, it was clarified that there was no malice in the SI’s obstruction of the IAS officer and that they were only carrying out the orders from the superiors. After analyzing the technical evidence and CCTV footage, it was found that there is no conspiracy involved, what happened at the time of the incident. It seems that a report will be submitted to the government with full evidence. The police say that the SI has no need to quarrel with the IAS officer. It is clear that there is no place for departmental dominance in this.
