Amaravati, March 26 – Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Thursday, alleged that the state has become a 'Jungle Raj' where the police only exist in name, disappearing when tribal people, women, and the poor cry out for help.
"Emergency lines go silent, predators roam free, and innocent lives are lost while those in power focus on corruption, power politics, and publicity stunts instead of protecting people," Jagan Mohan Reddy posted on the social media platform X.
The former Chief Minister wrote that a helpless 17-year-old tribal girl became another victim of the collapsing system in the state.
"This 17-year-old tribal girl was taken from her family under the pretext of education and care. On March 22, a civil engineer approached her family in Hiramandalam of the Srikakulam district, promising tuition. On March 23, in Visakhapatnam, she was reportedly subjected to repeated sexual assault, exposing both brutality and systemic failure. By March 24, she was delivered to her parents as a dead body," Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
According to the YSRCP Chief, there were reports of pressure on the girl's family for a quick, silent cremation, raising serious concerns about a cover-up.
"Under pressure, the post-mortem was conducted at the Srikakulam Government General Hospital. The police showed no urgency and only acted after a complaint. No action, no arrests so far," he added.
Jagan Mohan Reddy also said that the bus fire incident on Thursday morning in Markapuram exposed yet another collapse of the Andhra Pradesh state government.
"Repeated calls to the police emergency helpline number '100' went unanswered. Calls to the helpline number '108' were ignored until the bus was fully engulfed. Survivors said their cries went unheard. With no timely rescue, 14 lives were lost. The institutions that were supposed to respond have not responded," he added.
The former Chief Minister alleged that under the current Chandrababu Naidu-led state government, except for publicity stunts, there is zero governance.
"Under "Red Book" governance, the police act as puppets while citizens are left unprotected and suffering. This is the real situation in the state," Jagan Mohan Reddy said.