Top police officer, 5 other policemen suspended for Rajagopal's escape

Vijayawada police commissioner Rajendra Nath Reddy and five other policemen were today suspended after Congress member of Parliament L Rajagopal escaped from a Vijayawada hospital, and later resurfaced in Hyderabad.

45-year-old Rajagopal, who has been on a fast for the past nine days in support of a united Andhra Pradesh, and had wanted to be shifted to Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, had fled from the Government Hospital in Vijayawada last night. He was admitted in the Vijayawada hospital four days back, after being taken into custody by the police.

Taking serious note of the escape of Rajagopal, who represents Vijayawada in Lok Sabha, the State government placed Reddy, a 1992-batch IPS officer, under suspension holding him responsible for the incident.

"The failure and irresponsibility of police was glaring in Rajagopal's escape. There is suspicion whether the police conspired with him. An inquiry has been ordered into the whole issue," chief minister K Rosaiah said at the end of an emergency meeting with some of his cabinet colleagues in the State secretariat in Hyderabad.

Earlier, State director general of police RR Girish Kumar issued orders suspending five policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, in Vijayawada.

The officers are AV Subba Rao, ACP (Central Zone) Vijayawada city, two inspectors of police K Dharmendra and CH Lakshmipathi and two sub-inspectors P Bhaskara Rao and Sri RVS Kamalakar, sources in the DGP's office said.

Rajgopal, who has been on a fast for the past nine days protesting against decision to create Telangana carved out of Andhra Pradesh, had walked out of the hospital at around 2230 hours yesterday, giving a slip to about 200 policemen deployed around the complex. He surfaced at NIMS at 1300 hours today.