The Hindu : Front Page : TDP leaders’ delegation ‘caned’

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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TDP leaders’ delegation ‘caned’

Staff Reporter

Tension prevails near Obulapuram Mining Company

DETERMINED march: TDP leaders N. Janardhan Reddy and others walking into OMC area in Anantapur district before they were arrested by the police on Saturday.

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 Telugu Desam Party and other leaders were arrested while trying to enter the 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’s 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 State 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. 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 were detained by police at Uravakonda en route to Bellary to join the visiting team from Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, a TDP delegation called on the State Human Rights Commission Chairman B. Subhashan Reddy in the evening and submitted a memorandum and demanded an inquiry into the entire incident.

The party has called for Statewide protests in front of offices of Superintendents of Police to protest against the alleged high-handedness.

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