Andhra Pradesh: Woman consumes sanitiser after police refuse to file complaint

Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 7 : A 50-year-old woman consumed sanitiser at a police station in Srikakulam after the police allegedly denied registering her complaint on Thursday.
Erramma, a resident of Tarli Boddapadu village of Kotabommali Mandal in Srikakulam district had clashes with a neighbouring woman for the past 3 months. Erramma went to Kotabommali police station to file a complaint against her neighbour.
The police took her to the local hospital and later shifted her to Srikakulam government general hospital.
According to the police, she is safe and out of danger.
Explaining the incident, Chiranjeevi, son of Erramma said, "We are doing some renovation work to our house. Our neighbour was lashing out on us as some of the sand fell on her daughter. When my mother countered her it turned into a verbal brawl between the two."
Following this, my mother went to the Police Station to file a complaint against her. But the Sub-inspector and constable did not file her complaint. Instead, they abused my mother. As a result of which, my mother consumed sanitizer."
However, Kotabommali Sub Inspector Lakshmana Rao narrated a different version of the incident.
Rao told ANI, "A Dalit woman resides opposite to Erramma's house. Erramma's son Chiranjeevi is a village volunteer. He has been harassing the neighbour and assassinating her character for the past three months. The woman came to the police station to file a complaint against the Chiranjeevi but we only warned him."
"But after the continued harassment and recent incident with her daughter, the two (Dalit woman and Erramma) had a verbal brawl, then Erramma's neighbour came to file a complaint against her. For the investigation, we called Erramma and her son to the police station. Initially, they tried to ignore it but later came to the police station," said Rao.
Rao further said, "On Thursday, Erramma came to the police station where she started arguing with our staff. There she consumed hand sanitizer which she had brought with her. We immediately rushed her to the local hospital and then to the Srikakulam government general hospital. After treatment, she is safe and stable now."
According to Rao, this is all part of their attempt to escape the case.
"Instead of answering our questions, she is making allegations against us of not taking up her complaint," he added.