Find out reasons why people are coming out; don't straightaway use lathis: Telangana HC tells police

HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court on Wednesday made it clear that it will not do anything that would demoralise the police force at the current juncture where the police men are struggling to enforce the lockdown norms for the larger good of the society but advised the authorities to ensure that the police would initially inquire into the reasons orally as to why people found on the roads have come out.
That would be better rather than straightaway beating them, said a bench of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice T Amarnath Goud while hearing a PIL filed by advocate Umesh Chandra that alleged that the police were using excessive force on people. The bench took up as public interest petitions four letters written by various advocates all espousing the causes of various sections of people in the backdrop of Covid 19 lockdown.
The bench said that they will not presume that the police force all over the state is acting in a hasty manner. The letter refers to an incident in Wanaparthy and the Advocate General Advocate General should advise the DGP to ask his men to adopt a friendly approach while dealing with lockdown violators.
Advocate General BS Prasad informed the bench that the DGP was in favour of friendly policing and necessary instructions were already given by him.
The bench issued notice to the state Home Secretary, DGP and other police authorities asking them to file their replies by April 16 on Wanaparthy incident where a father was beaten up in front of his minor son.
The bench while hearing another PIL filed by advocate Karuna Sagar that sought protection to doctors employed at Covid 19 wards sought to know about the security arrangements made by the state at such hospitals. Inform us within a week about the steps taken in this regard at all Covid 19 hospitals situated both in Hyderabad and in the rest of the state, the bench said.
The bench sought to know the response of the state on a PIL filed by advocate Ronald Rose that wanted the state to use disinfectants at all public places like markets, rythu bazaars etc because they are getting crowded during relaxation periods.
The bench also sought a reply from the state on another PIL filed by senior advocate S Satyam Reddy and advocate Jandhyala Ravi Shankar that said that salary and pension cuts imposed by the state are violating the rights of the employees and pensioners.
All four PILs were posted to April 17 for further hearing.