The Hindu : National : A.P. police acted with caution

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 13, 2004

National

National

A.P. police acted with caution

By K. Srinivas Reddy

HYDERABAD, NOV.12. The Andhra Pradesh Government acted with the utmost caution in extending logistical support to the Tamil Nadu police team which arrested the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Jayendra Saraswati, in Mahbubnagar district on Thursday night.

The Acharya, brought to Hyderabad under escort provided by the State police, was driven straight to the tarmac where an 11-seater plane specially brought from Chennai was waiting. The plane took off at 1.25 a.m. even as the city police threw a cordon around all entry points of the airport, apprehending that there could be some resistance from devotees. However, there was not much crowd at the airport, but for a dozen disciples, who stood at some distance watching the Acharya's vehicle drive past them.

Though the Tamil Nadu team led by a Superintendent of Police flew to Hyderabad in the special aircraft in the afternoon, their arrival was kept a closely-guarded secret. The visiting team was stated to have conferred with the senior police authorities and sought ``logistical'' help. The Hyderabad Range DIG, Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, accompanied the Tamil Nadu team to Mahbubnagar, about 100 km from here, where the Acharya was camping.

The Andhra Pradesh police were worried about the political fallout of the arrest and were initially unwilling to allow the arrest. The only condition put to the Tamil Nadu team was that the arrest should be made in a "smooth" manner, sources said. To keep off the media, a red-herring was thrown in when it was indicated that the Swamiji could be driven to Tirupati from Mahbubnagar, but by midnight a strong posse of mediamen lay in wait at the airport.

Tense moments

At the airport too, there were some tense moments when newsmen stopped the vehicle insisting that they should have a word with the Acharya, but the Tamil Nadu police pushed aside the reporters and the vehicle was driven to the tarmac. At the guesthouse of Surya Laxmi Cotton Mills too, mediamen were kept at bay.

Our Mahbubnagar correspondent reports:

There was high drama at the time of arrest of the Sankaracharya, who was camping here since Wednesday to perform Triloka Kalyana Yagnam on the premises of the mill where a cluster of temples is located.

Sources said the SP in charge of the district, B.R. Dumas, was told around 8.30 p.m. that a special team of the Tamil Nadu police led by the Cuddalore SP, Prem kumar, the Kanchipuram SP, Davidson, and the additional SP of Kanchipuram district, Shakthi Velu, were to arrive.

By the time Mr. Dumas reached the guesthouse, the Tamil Nadu team was already waiting for him. Police then went to the guesthouse and presented the non-bailable warrant (NBW) to the Acharya. The Tamil Nadu officials were stated to have spoken to him for over 30 minutes. Sources said the team insisted that the Acharya travel in their van, but he was later allowed to travel in the Mutt van.

Sources said the Swami, who was woken up by police, wanted to go to Chennai the next day, but police prevailed upon him to accompany them immediately. Some sources said that he was informed of the arrest en route to Hyderabad. The Yagnam is being performed by the junior Acharya, Vijayendra Saraswathi.

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