Agnipath protests: Key accused in Secunderabad railway station arson case in custody

The main conspirator in the Secunderabad railway station arson – ex-serviceman Avula Subba Rao and his three accomplices — were sent to 14-day judicial custody on Saturday by a railway court here.

Avula, who retired from the army as a nursing assistant in 2011, was running Sai Defence Academy, based in Narasaraopet in Andhra Pradesh since 2014, coaching army jobs aspirants. He abetted rioting by army recruitment aspirants fearing his business closure once the Centre's Agnipath is implemented.

The Government Railway Police has charged him with provoking the aspirants and also providing them with necessary logistics with help of his henchmen Malla Reddy, Shiva Kumar, and Beesi Reddy and booked them under about 30 sections of the IPC, CrPC and the Railway Act.

Large-scale violence at the busy rail junction on June 17 shocked the public. An army aspirant was killed in police firing and about a dozen were injured. The railways suffered a direct property damage loss of Rs 12 crore.

Though Avula was reportedly taken into custody and interrogated by the Telangana police earlier this week, his arrest was officially shown by the GRP only on Friday.

According to B Anuradha, SP, GRP Secunderabad, the army job aspirants who had cleared the physical tests in 2019 originally wanted to take out a rally to ARO Secunderabad to give a representation against Agnipath.

“But after the violence in Bihar, UP, Haryana, train burnings and provocation by Avula Subbarao, these youth formed various whats-app groups like “Railway Station Block” “Chalo Secunderabad ARO 3 Group” and “Soldiers to Die Group”. Messages were spread that everyone should come to Secunderabad Railway Station and resort to violence like in Bihar. Voice messages were spread asking to bring petrol to set fire to the trains,” the official said.

Avula arrived in Hyderabad on 16 June, a day before the violence and staying in a hotel at Boduppal, posted his photos and message in “Hakeempet Soldiers” WhatsApp group declaring his support to the agitation.

Avula asked Malla Reddy, Shiva Kumar, and Beesi Reddy to provoke all the Army aspirants to come to Secunderabad and that he will bear all the expenses. “He told them to create massive violence inside the railway Station by encouraging the agitators. Malla Reddy, Shiva Kumar arrived at the railway station (on 17 June morning) and Shiva also spoke to the media.

They along with other agitators pelted stones on the trains, police, fire engine and set fire to the compartments. Avula was monitoring the agitation from his hotel room, watching live TV and his associates updating him about the developments. He was satisfied with the arson and later instructed his men and other group members to delete all WhatsApp messages from their mobile phones and also exit the groups to destroy evidence of their crime,” Anuradha said.