Police crackdown on Cong., TDP men

By Our Staff Reporter

KURNOOL, JULY 14. The police cracked down on Congress and TDP men and took into preventive detention over 300 people, mainly leaders with violent record to ensure peaceful polling during the second phase on Sunday.

Prominent among them were the TDP leader and former MLA, Mr. Kothakota Prakasa Reddy, the Congress leader, Mr. D. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy from Kurnool division, Mr. Irigela Rampulla Reddy, Mr. Narayana Reddy, Mr. Pratap Reddy, Mr. Yarrabothula Venkat Reddy, Mr. Ankireddy and others from Nandyal and Allagadda region.

The leaders were brought to their respective police stations while the main leaders from Kurnool area were lodged in the Central Control Room.

They were likely to be taken to the polling stations to allow them to cast votes and would be kept in police custody until the polling is over. In Owk, the police took into custody a large number of people who were likely to instigate violence.

Mr. Challa Rajasekhar Reddy, a close relative of the Koilkuntla MLA, Mr. Challa Ramakrishna Reddy, who was indisposed, was allowed to stay in the house of the MLA. The brothers and cousins of former Congress MLA, Mr. Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, were taken into custody.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr. P. S. R. Anjaneyulu, said the raids and preventive detentions would continue throughout the night to create a conducive atmosphere for the common voter to exercise his right in a free atmosphere.

As anticipated, pressure had mounted on the police for the release of leaders. In a surprise development, the top leaders cutting across the party lines urged the police top brass to release all leaders.

In Kurnool mandal, the police identified that the supporters of TDP leader, Mr. Kothakota Prakasa Reddy, and the Congress leader, Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, were responsible for the poll-related violence in over 20 villages. Both leaders were taken into preventive custody.

However, the Congress leaders requested the release of Mr. Prakasa Reddy (TDP) with the hope that their partyman, Mr. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, would be released. The arrests are likely to immobilise the followers who were outside.

Tension in Cuddapah

According to a Cuddapah report, tension prevailed in Brahmamgari Matham town on Friday night after the TDP functionaries threw stones at Congressmen and the latter thrashing a Telugu Yuvatha leader following rumours being floated by some ruling party activists that the Congress ZPTC candidate, Mr. Bommu Ramana Reddy, had switched over to the TDP.

While the TDP functionaries rejoiced in the streets and went in jeeps to Mydukur on hearing the rumours, the arrival of the former Congress Minister, Dr. D. L. Ramana Reddy, enthused the Congressmen who ransacked a cool drinks shop of a TDP activist, Mr. T. Polaiah.

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Section  : Southern States
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