Tribal Women Arrested at Midnight Over Land Acquisition Row, YSRCP Condemns Govt Actions

The YSR Congress Party has strongly condemned the Andhra Pradesh government’s alleged coercive and unlawful actions in Karedu village, Nellore district, where three tribal women were arrested in a midnight police raid for resisting forced land acquisition.

Addressing a press conference at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli, MLC Thumati Madhavarao lashed out at the government for using what he termed “unethical and undemocratic” means to suppress the voices of tribal communities. He alleged that the administration was resorting to intimidation and illegal arrests to acquire tribal lands without consent.

In a disturbing development, the three women—Manikala Sujatha, Manikala Shireesha, and Mallavarapu Lalitha—were reportedly arrested during the night under the pretext of a fabricated family dispute. The police, without prior notice or informing their families, forcibly took them away in official vehicles. “This is not law enforcement; it is abuse of power,” said MLC Madhavarao. “Are we functioning under the Constitution framed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar or following a Red Book Constitution scripted by Nara Lokesh?” he questioned.

The incident triggered public outrage, with over 500 tribal community members staging a protest outside the local police station, demanding information on the detained women. Madhavarao slammed the police for their refusal to provide basic details to the victims’ families and for acting at the behest of local political figures.

The YSRCP leader further expressed concern over the state’s neglect toward SC and ST protections, particularly the growing vulnerability of women from marginalized backgrounds. He announced that the party will lodge a formal complaint with the National ST Commission and raise the issue in the upcoming Legislative Council session.

The YSRCP demands the immediate release of the arrested tribal women, full disclosure of the circumstances of their detention, and an end to forced land acquisition in Karedu. The party vowed to stand by the affected tribal communities and hold the government accountable for what it calls “gross human rights violations.”

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