Amaravati, Jul 22 (PTI): A Dalit youth died in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh after the local police allegedly beat him up, but District Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal said on Wednesday that he was drunk and picked up an altercation with a constable.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took serious note of the incident and ordered payment of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victims family, a release here said.
Guntur Range Inspector General of Police J Prabhakar Rao appointed Additional Superintendent of Police Gangadhar to investigate the incident, which occurred on Tuesday night.
The Dalit youth was riding a two-wheeler along with his friend in Chirala town of Prakasam district on July 18 when they were stopped by a constable for not wearing the face mask.
The DSP said both of them were drunk at the time and picked up an altercation with the constable.
The constable alerted the Sub-Inspector who came rushing to the scene.
The SP, in a statement said the two were being taken to the police station in a jeep when the youth tried to escape by jumping from the vehicle
In the process he fell down and sustained a head injury and was rushed to the government hospital in Chirala, the SP said.
The DSP denied that the Dalit youth was beaten up by the Sub Inspector.
"We are still investigating the case," he added.