Hyderabad: Tension prevailed during a protest by ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers at Koti on Monday. When protesters were being shifted into a police vehicle, a woman was caught on camera allegedly smacking Sultan Bazar inspector Srinivasa Chary.
On Monday, a large number of ASHA workers gathered at the office of the Director of Medical Education (DME) at Koti and staged a protest, demanding that their salaries be increased to 18,000 from 9,900. Congress, as part of their 2023 assembly poll promise, said that ASHA workers’ salaries would be increased. After staging a sit-in protest, the agitators tried to barge into the office of the DME. The workers attempted to gatecrash, but were stopped by police.
Later, the protesters, led by BRS leader Ram Babu, allegedly called on the women to block traffic and stage a protest. Tension prevailed at the junction when they pushed away the barricades put by police. However, protesters were stopped by police and were shifted to a waiting van.
At this stage, a woman, whose leg got injured while she was being shifted, on seeing Chary hanging onto the DCM, allegedly slapped him. ASHA workers claimed the woman became furious after cops allegedly used foul language and abused her. The incident added fuel to the already surcharged atmosphere and policemen on the spot reacted spontaneously. Police, in a targeted manner, hit the woman with their hands.
An assistant commissioner of police rank officer was also seen dragging away protesting ASHA workers along with other policewomen. Videos of the protest went viral. Later, police registered a criminal case against Ram Babu for obstructing govt officials from performing their duties.
