Jagan Slams Chandrababu Govt Over Medico Priyanka’s Death, Alleges Police Failure
YSRCP president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a sharp attack on the Chandrababu Naidu government over the death of Dr Kanike Priyanka, a medical PG student from Rajamahendravaram.
In a strongly worded post on X, Jagan expressed deep condolences to Priyanka’s family and questioned the functioning of the police and government machinery in handling the case.
Jagan said Priyanka’s parents had made several sacrifices and faced many hardships to educate their daughter and support her MD studies. He said it was heartbreaking that they would never get to see their daughter complete her medical education and serve society.
However, Jagan quickly turned his focus to the alleged police lapses in the case. He said Priyanka’s death had once again exposed the “utter failure” of the government and police machinery in protecting ordinary citizens.
According to Jagan, the accident took place on the night of August 3 outside a shopping mall. He questioned why the police did not immediately examine CCTV footage and take action based on the seriousness of the incident, particularly if the involvement of alcohol had come to light.
He alleged that the case was initially treated as a minor accident and that the accused were allowed to escape serious action.
Jagan also claimed that CCTV footage showed the victim being dragged along with the car after the collision. He said the alleged police delay in examining the circumstances surrounding the incident required a full-scale investigation.
“The government and police machinery owe an unequivocal response to Dr Priyanka’s father,” Jagan said, according to his post.
Jagan links case to ‘Red Book’ politics
Taking his criticism further, the YSRCP chief linked the alleged police failure in Priyanka’s case to what he described as the Chandrababu government’s broader politicisation of the police system.
Jagan alleged that the government was using the police and the so-called “Red Book” against opposition leaders, critics and those questioning the government, while failing to respond effectively when ordinary citizens needed protection.
He accused the government of using the police machinery for political vendetta and partisan interests, alleging that cases were being filed against political opponents while genuine issues faced by common people were being ignored.
Jagan said such political interference had weakened institutions that were supposed to treat every citizen equally.
Attack over liquor and ganja
Jagan also launched a political attack on the state government's liquor policy.
He alleged that liquor outlets, belt shops, bars and restaurants had expanded across the state and accused Chandrababu Naidu of promoting an environment that encourages alcohol and drug abuse.
In a particularly sharp remark, Jagan described Chandrababu as a “brand ambassador for alcohol and ganja”.
Jagan also alleged that social media posts questioning the government's handling of Priyanka's case were being deleted soon after they appeared. He questioned why the government and police were allegedly unable to answer criticism and instead resorted to removing such content.
‘Take notice before systems collapse’
The YSRCP chief warned that bringing political affiliations and questions such as “Which party are you with?” into the functioning of government institutions could seriously damage public confidence in the system.
He alleged that political bias and partisan policing had pushed the state's institutions towards collapse.
Jagan appealed to Chandrababu Naidu to take note of the situation and ensure that the circumstances surrounding Dr Priyanka's death are properly investigated.
His comments are likely to intensify the political debate in Andhra Pradesh over law and order, police accountability and the government's handling of cases involving ordinary citizens.
