Hyderabad:
A four-hour-long 'hostage' drama ended late on Wednesday as a suspended head constable, who had taken a senior police official hostage, released him unharmed.
Giriprasad Sharma, a suspended head constable with the Police Transport Organisation, released Superintendent of Police (SP) Lakshminarayana from a shop near Birla Planetarium in the heart of the city.
The high drama ended around 11:15 pm after Director General of Police (DGP) Dinesh Reddy reportedly spoke to Mr Sharma over his mobile phone and promised to look into his demands.
Police shifted Mr Lakshminarayana to a hospital and took Mr Sharma into custody.
Mr Sharma's demands included suspension of Additional Superintendent of Police Vijaykumar, who was allegedly harassing him and was responsible for suspending him, allocation of Rs.100 crore to Police Transport Organisation and recruitment of 500 mechanics and drivers in the organization.
It was in the evening that Mr Sharma took the official hostage in a shop and sent a message from his mobile phone to some television channels around 7:30 pm.
He had locked the shutters from inside and threatened to kill the official and commit suicide if police tried to break in. He claimed that he was carrying 40 litres of petrol with him.
As the senior police officials along with a fire engine and fire fighting personnel surrounded the shop, Mr Sharma sent out a printed message, listing his demands. He wanted either the Home Minister or DGP to respond.
Mr Sharma relented after the DGP intervened and assured him that his demands would be considered.
The incident triggered panic in the police establishment and caused embarrassment to the top brass as the scene of crime is close to the state police headquarters.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy had appealed to the head constable to release the official and promised to take action against the Additional Superintendent of Police.
It was not immediately known why the SP had gone to a shop reportedly belonging to the head constable.