In two events happening in quick succession in the contiguous districts, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders took to the streets to condemn what they called police excesses against their constituency in-charge leaders.
The TDP’s SC Cell State general secretary Mullangi Venkataramana was arrested by the Kallur police in Chittoor district recently in connection with the Punganur violence case. He was produced in the local court on Saturday, where the police plea for custody was rejected and bail granted.
Mr. Venkataramana’s counsel revealed that the TDP leader was severely thrashed by Circle Inspector K. Srinivasulu before producing him in the court. The TDP leaders from across the Tirupati and Chittoor districts rushed to Kallur to express their solidarity.
Meanwhile, TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh condemned the incident and likened the attacks on the opposition leaders to the “Taliban rule” in the State. He also suspected senior Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy’s hand behind the attack.
Tension in Rajampeta
Mild tension was witnessed in Rajampeta town of Annamayya district when the TDP in-charge Ghanta Narahari was prevented from coming out of his residence since Sunday morning.
He had earlier announced to embark on a tour of the site where the Annamayya project once existed. The project got washed away in the 2021 floods, which the TDP alleges to be due to the government’s indifference and lack of preventive action.
The police, on the other hand, point out that the TDP leaders had not obtained any permission for the programme.
“Two years after the havoc, the government does not even acknowledge the occurrence of the mishap and no compensation has been paid to the victims so far,” Mr. Narahari fumed, while resisting the police cordon.
Chaos prevailed at his residence for a while with the mobilisation of the TDP cadre, after which he was formally arrested and shifted to the Rajampeta station.