The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP team arrested near Obulapuram mines

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP team arrested near Obulapuram mines

Staff Reporter

Several party leaders sustain bruises and minor injuries
Police refusal to move arrested to hospital sparks more protests

ANANTAPUR: Tension prevailed near Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) in D. Hirehal mandal close to the inter-State border with Karnataka on Saturday when about 20 MLAs and MLCs of the Telugu Desam Party and other leaders were arrested while trying to enter mining area.

A strong TDP delegation reached Bellary from Hyderabad in two buses and proceeded immediately towards the OMC. They were escorted till the A.P. border by the Karnataka police. On reaching the OMC area, it was stopped by police who erected road blocks, using vehicles.

TDP Deputy Floor Leader in the Assembly N. Janardhan Reddy and Whip E. Dayakar Rao immediately entered into a heated argument with OSD G. Vijayakumar. They asked why they were being prevented as they had given notice of their inspection of the mines being exploited by the OMC. As the argument intensified, the police lifted Mr. Dayakar Rao and others into waiting vans, sparking off protests and slogan-shouting against the police and Andhra Pradesh Government. Angered at being physically lifted, Mr. Rao allegedly threw his arm at the police and was, in response, allegedly caned and bundled into the van.

Several party leaders sustained bruises and minor injuries. On reaching Rayadurg, police refused to move the arrested to the hospital for treatment, sparking off another round of protests outside the police station, heightening the tension.

‘Manhandling’

Meanwhile, a police constable allegedly manhandled local TDP legislator M. Govinda Reddy. Earlier, another TDP delegation, led by politburo member K. Srinivasulu, MLAs P. Sunita and P. Raghunatha Reddy, former MP B.K. Parthasarathi, district president and secretaries U. Hanumantharaya Chowdary and K. Venkata Prasad, was detained by the police at Uravakonda en route to Bellary.

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