Fact-finding report alleges selective targeting and custodial torture of Muslims after Kadapa violence
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Kadapa: A fact-finding report has alleged selective arrests, custodial torture, and discriminatory police action against members of the Muslim community following communal clashes in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district earlier this month.
The violence broke out on 9 May at Almaspet Circle over a naming dispute involving "Tipu Sultan Circle" and "Hanuman Circle". The report, titled “Selective Justice: Detention, Torture, & Religious Targeting”, was released by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) to examine the clashes, subsequent police responses, First Information Reports (FIRs), arrests, and allegations of severe custodial violence.
According to the APCR, tensions escalated when banners declaring the junction “Hanuman Circle” were displayed during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. This occurred despite a February 2026 proposal by the Kadapa Municipal Corporation to officially rename the junction “Tipu Sultan Circle”, a decision that was still pending formal approval. On the morning of 9 May, members of the Muslim community gathered at the site to put up their banners, while leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and right-wing supporters assembled on the opposite side with opposing banners. Though police initially attempted to mediate between the two factions, the situation quickly deteriorated.
Two police FIRs, numbered 59/2026 and 60/2026, allege that members of the Muslim community pelted stones at law enforcement officers, injuring personnel and damaging public property, which prompted the police to launch a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. However, the APCR report presents a conflicting narrative, citing witness testimonies to claim that the stone-throwing actually initiated from the non-Muslim side after children reportedly threw empty water packets. The document further alleges that BJP leaders and right-wing groups had planned attacks on Muslims through stone pelting.
The human rights group also claimed that after the initial hostilities had eased, police pursued Muslim residents into the narrow lanes of Muslim-majority areas, continuing to use baton charges even after the crowds had completely dispersed. The report estimates that nearly 100 Muslims were injured, adding that many avoided seeking medical treatment at hospitals due to fear of arbitrary police action.
A central focus of the report is the alleged disparity in how the two communities were treated by law enforcement. The APCR highlights that FIR No. 59/2026, filed on the day of the incident, named 27 Muslims under non-bailable charges, including attempt to murder. FIR No. 60/2026, filed the following day, named individuals from both communities, but the report alleges that Muslim accused were identified with precise personal details, whereas non-Muslim accused were described vaguely and booked under significantly lighter offences. In total, 49 Muslims were named across the two FIRs compared to 17 Hindus.
Furthermore, the APCR has accused authorities of illegal detention and severe custodial assault. The report states that at least 25 Muslim minors, including a 12-year-old boy, were detained on 9 May and held until 2:00 am, with witnesses describing children being forced to lie down, beaten, verbally abused, and having their feet stomped on by officers. The document further claims that 22 other Muslim men were detained for several days despite having no involvement in the violence, and were subjected to physical assault while in custody. The APCR contends that while the incident has been publicly characterised simply as a clash, it was fundamentally incited by right-wing organisations, with subsequent state actions heavily biased against the minority community.
In light of its findings, the APCR has called for an immediate independent judicial or magisterial inquiry into the violence, police conduct, illegal detentions, and the treatment of minors. The group is also demanding a comprehensive forensic review of local CCTV footage, police logs, and hospital records, alongside a formal reassessment of both FIRs to ensure accuracy, completeness, and parity. Local authorities and senior police officials have not yet released an official statement responding to the specific allegations detailed in the report.