Cong. leaders detained, protesters caned

By Our Staff Reporter

SRIKAKULAM, AUG. 11. A number of Congress leaders, including the AICC secretary, Mr. V Hanumantha Rao, and the Srikakulam District Congress president, Mr. G Haribabu Naidu, were detained in a police station for four hours today after a bid to stage a dharna was foiled by caning the protesters.

The Congress protest was held to press for a thorough enquiry into the murder of the Etcherla mandal vice-president, K. Poli Naidu, on July 29, alleging a political conspiracy. The police, however, said no permission was obtained for the dharna and it was not allowed as Section 30 of the Police Act was in force.

Congress workers, led by Mr. Hanumantha Rao, Mr. Haribabu Naidu, Mr. Dharmana Prasada Rao, MLA, Mr. Sabbam Hari, former Mayor, and Dr. Kaniti Viswanadham, former MP, undertook a procession from the DCC office and it reached the SP's office around noon. A heavy police force was deployed and the road leading to the SP's office was cordoned off. The Congress leaders insisted on staging a dharna.

They were not allowed to stage the dharna as no permission was obtained. Mr. Hanumantha Rao and others squatted and the police took away Mr. Hanumanta Rao and dispersed the mob by caning them. The mob of protesters ran into the nearby veterinary hospital and other establishments as the police chased them away.

Shopkeepers in the area downed the shutters and soon the busy intersection wore a deserted look. Later, Mr. Hanumanta Rao, Mr. Prasada Rao, Mr. Hari, Mr. Haribabu Naidu and other leaders were taken to the Two Town police station. The Srikakulam DSP, Mr. A Srirama Murthy, said after the procession came the leaders were asked to go and submit a memorandum to the SP. However, they said they would stage a dharna. Since no written permission was taken, there was no question of allowing it, they were told. Mr. Hanumanta Rao offered to court arrest and even as it was being done workers closed in necessitating a dispersal.

Mr. Hanumantha Rao later told presspersons at the police station that the police were adopting a partisan attitude. Even as the Congress leaders were stating that they would stage a dharna for 15 minutes, within five minutes the police resorted to a lathicharge without giving any warning or using teargas though there was no provocation. He said Congress workers were beaten right before his eyes. He charged the DSP and Circle Inspector with behaving in a highhanded manner. He alleged that Poli Naidu was killed as in Etcherla constituency Congress had won most of the ZPTCs and MPPs. He said 10 to 12 persons were involved in the attack, and disputed the surrender of two persons as a fake one. The one-sided action of the police were favouring the TDP at the cost of the Congress as its leaders were being eliminated, he said.

Meanwhile, the APCC-I president, Mr.M.Satyanarayana Rao, in Hyderabad condemned the ``brutal'' lathicharge on Congress activists and the arrest of Mr.Hanumantha Rao and others.

In a press release, he said he was flying to Srikakulam tomorrow morning to meet the victims of police excesses.

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