Andhra Pradesh: Railway Court acquits all 41 accused in Tuni arson case

all accused in tuni arson case acquitted

More than seven years after the sensational Tuni arson, the Railway Court on Monday acquitted all the 41 accused, stating that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against them.

Trouble broke out when some thousands of activists, who attended for ‘Kapu Garjana’ led by the former minister Mudragada Padmanabham and other leaders at Tuni in East Godavari district, stormed the Tuni railway station and set on fire Ratnachal Express and some vehicles, and attacked the police stations, on January 31, 2016.

The protestors were demanding inclusion of the Kapu community in Backward Classes (BCs) list. However, the meeting turned violent when scores of agitators ran into the railway station and torched some police vehicles, the train and other railway property, causing injuries to some passengers and public servants.

Cases were filed against the accused under Section 143 IPC (unlawful assembly), Section 147 (rioting), Section 148 (rioting while armed with deadly weapons), Section 353 IPC (criminal assault on public servant), Section 438 (committing mischief by using fire or explosive substance), Section 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), Indian Railways Act, 1989, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 and other charges.

The AP Crime Investigation Department (CID), Tuni police, Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) filed separate cases against the accused.

The State government issued orders withdrawing about 51 cases in the Tuni violence. However, the case related to burning of the train was under trial.

Counsel for the accused, Ventrapragada Uma Maheswari, said the Railway Court on Monday, said all the 41 accused in the case were given acquittal. The court asked the public prosecutor why action should not be taken for poor investigation in the case, she said.