Date:05/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/05/stories/2005050505660600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Gadar, others taken into preventive custody

Staff Reporter

Police foil Maoists' attempts to unveil martyrs' memorial

HYDERABAD: The police foiled the attempts of Maoists to unveil a martyrs' memorial at Subhashnagar in the twin cities on Wednesday. Tension prevailed in the area right from the morning with a small group of relatives and friends of the martyrs making determined attempts to inaugurate the memorial even as police literally took over the surrounding areas. Singer Gadar, poet Varavara Rao, and civil liberties activists Ratnamala, Krishna and Goru Madhava Rao (of Martyrs' Friends and Relatives Committee), were taken into preventive custody.

Heated argument

Gadar argued repeatedly with the Cyberabad DCP, M.K. Singh, when he was prevented from paying tributes to the martyrs at the memorial in the morning. Subsequently, the singer went to the Secretariat threatening to complain to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister.

Caught off guard

Meanwhile, Ms. Ratnamala, along with ten supporters, caught the police off guard by suddenly turning up near the memorial. As they raised slogans, policewomen arrested and shifted them to the Alwal police station.

Later, Gadar returned saying that the Chief Minister's secretary assured him of a positive response by evening. Two hours later, Gadar made a last attempt by walking from his house to the memorial with a garland. He too was taken into custody a few metres away from the memorial and sent to the Alwal police station.