Cong. MLA, eight others held; remanded

By Our Staff Reporter

RAJAHMUNDRY, JAN. 8. The Congress MLA from Kadiam, Mr.Jakkampudi Ramamohana Rao, and eight others were arrested by the Rajanagaram police at Visweswara Swamy temple here on the last day of the 14th Janmabhoomi on Monday.

Incidentally, Mr.Ramamohana Rao was on Ayyappa deeksha. He was carrying the 'irumudi' on his head and was scheduled to board a train for Sabarimala by 4.30 pm when he was arrested. He was produced in the court of 11 Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate and was sent for remand till January 22. He was arrested in connection with an incident at a gram sabha in Konthamuru village on January 4. The nodal officer at the said gram sabha, Mr.Venkaiah (State silviculturist), lodged a complaint with the police. According to Mr.A.B.Venkateswara Rao, SP, who was camping here, cases under Sections 353 (assaulting government servant), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 290 (Public nuisance) were booked against the Congress legislator.

Striking a sentimental note, Mr.Ramamohana Rao said that he had been a regular visitor of Sabarimala since 1984 and the fact that he would not be in a position to do so this time deeply hurt him. ``Everybody knew that I would board the train this evening. The police chose to arrest me just an hour before that. I was not named in the complaint,'' Mr.Ramamohana Rao pointed out.

He said that he was not given bail at the police station at Rajanagaram. According to him, it was all planned and the Chief Minister was behind this. With the blessings of Ayyappa, which he would seek from jail, he would continue to fight against the wrong policies of the Government. Covering a distance of about two km, he went to the Central Jail here on foot. Mr.Vundavilli Arun Kumar, AICC member, alleged that the Chief Minister was trying to intimidate Congress workers by arresting even MLAs. According to him, a dozen Congress workers, who included father of party district unit spokesman, Mr.Kamana Prabhakara Rao, were beaten up by the supporters of TDP MLA, Mr.V.V.S.S.Choudary, at the gram sabha at Yedida village today. It was Mr.Choudary who had egged on the TDP workers to attack Congress workers, he alleged. Some were admitted into the hospital, he said.

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