Date:21/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/21/stories/2004092107350500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Police detain 22 persons with `criminal background'

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, SEPT. 20. The district police today detained 22 persons with alleged criminal background under the Preventive Detention Act. Those arrested included nine TDP men, five Congressmen, including a ZPTC member, factional leaders, rowdy sheeters, hired assassins and a former naxalite.

Giving details to newspersons here today, the Superintendent of Police, Anil Kumar, stated that the District Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, had invoked the P.D. Act against 31 persons with criminal background. While 22 were arrested today, nine others were absconding. They would be arrested soon. Of the absconding persons, six were from Tadipatri sub-division, one from Kadiri and two from Anantapur sub-division.

Properties to be seized

Properties of the persons eluding the police would be confiscated after some time and they would even be barred from entering the district.

The SP stated that the PD Act would be invoked against few more persons who were presently undergoing imprisonment in various cases. They would be arrested and fresh cases would be registered once they came out of jail.

Among the arrested today were: M. Veeranjaneyulu, the ZPTC member of Pamidi, B. Mahananda Reddy of Prasannayapalli in Rapthadu mandal, T. Sivaiah of K.K.Agraharam in B.K.Samudram mandal, J. Srinivasulu of Vadiyampeta in B.K.Samudram mandal and Syed Basha of Guntakal (all belonging to the Congress).

While P. Munna of Anantapur, I. Venkatramudu of Prasannayapalli in Rapthadu mandal, P. Obulapati of K.K.Agraharam in B.K.Samudram mandal, P. Srinivasulu, the sarpanch of Podaralla and a native of Vadiyampeta in B.K.Samudram mandal, B. Prasad and B. Srinivasulu of Guntakal, T. Venkatramudu of Mudigubba, M. Pratap Reddy of Dimmagudi in Peddavadugur mandal and P. Sharabha Reddy of Chinnavadugur in Peddavadugur mandal belonged to the TDP.

Besides, S. Nijasekhar of Nallamada is a surrendered ROC naxalite, K. Venugopal and E. Naganna of Anantapur are rowdy sheeters, M. Gangulappa of Gorantla, M. Rahamatullah of Dharmavaram, B.S. Nagarjuna of Garisenapalli in Bathalapalli mandal, C. Ramamohan Reddy of Ganjampalli in Gorantla mandal and M. Rammohan of Elakuntla in Dharmavaram mandal are rowdy sheeters.