The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Varavara Rao alleges spying on his flat by policemen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Varavara Rao alleges spying on his flat by policemen

Staff Reporter

Speculation about likely arrest by the Guntur police

HYDERABAD: The family of the former CPI (Maoist) emissary, Varavara Rao, woke up to threatening gestures allegedly by the police at their Nalgonda crossroads apartment here on Monday morning.

Four heavily built men in plainclothes were found by family members keeping a watch on the apartment at around 5.30 a.m. The number could be more, said Mr. Rao, who lives in a second floor flat.

He told The Hindu that the unidentified persons stood their ground without moving and kept an eye on his flat till 9.30 a.m. One of them was frequently reporting to some vehicles passing by. On suspicion that they were under the gaze of the police, Mr. Rao informed the electronic media on the telephone. Their arrival defused the tension as the foursome dispersed.

Meanwhile, sources said that personnel of the Chaderghat police station under whose jurisdiction Mr. Rao's apartment falls, had been instructed by the authorities to give any assistance to a team from Guntur which might land in the city to arrest him.

Jana's denial

The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, however, denied that Mr. Varavara Rao's movements were being watched by the police and that he faced a threat to his life from them.Speaking to reporters, the Minister termed "baseless," Mr. Rao's charge that police in plainclothes were hanging around his house for the past few days and were seen telephoning at times.

He said there was no need for the police to go to a private house and harass an individual, much less Mr. Varavara Rao.

Staff Reporter in Warangal adds:

The Director-General of Police, Swaranjit Sen, denied Mr. Varavara Rao's allegation.

Mr. Sen said Mr. Rao had made several allegations earlier and all were proved wrong. "If the police have to do something, they will do it as per law,'' he said.

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