Karnataka - Bellary   

AP politics shifts to Karnataka

Staff Correspondent

TDP legislator files complaint in Bellary against Andhra Pradesh police

BELLARY: The political battle between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over the alleged irregularities and illegal mining activities at Obulapuram Mining Company (owned by G. Janardhan Reddy, suspended BJP MLC of Karnataka and said to be close to Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy), in Obulapuram village on the State border, seems to have made its way towards Karnataka.

Nagam Janardhan Reddy, TDP leader and Deputy Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly, filed a complaint with the Karnataka police against the police officials of his home State for arresting a team of legislators from Andhra Pradesh outside their jurisdiction.

He has charged the Andhra Pradesh police with showing scant respect to the legislators, abusing and behaving rudely with them during their visit to OMC to see the mining activities being carried out there after coming to know that illegal mining was going on on a large-scale with the support of Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy.

On Saturday, Andhra Pradesh police, who had assembled in large numbers near the OMC, prevented a team of 25 legislators from entering the mines area. They arrested the legislators when the latter tried to enter the area defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C.) which was in force. A tense situation prevailed for some time when there was a heated argument between the legislators and police officials and later the legislators were bundled into the vans parked nearby to be taken to the police station at Rayadurga.

Mr. Nagam Janardhan Reddy, in his complaint, has accused the Andhra Pradesh police of high handedness in not only obstructing their movement but also assaulting them without any provocation, that too, by crossing the State border.

Mr. Nagam Janardhan Reddy met Superintendent of Police Amrit Paul and other officials and prevailed upon them to register a criminal complaint against the Andhra Pradesh police.

In turn, the Bellary (rural) police gave an endorsement assuring that they would first verify the jurisdiction issue and then take appropriate action in the matter, he informed while taking to presspersons later.

He said that the action of the Andhra Pradesh police amounted to breach of privilege and his party would take up the matter with the Speaker of the Assembly besides meeting the Governor of Andhra Pradesh requesting them to initiate stern action in the matter.

The TDP would also be knocking the doors of National Human Rights Commission against the breach of privilege and violation of human rights, he said.

Mr. Nagam Janardhan Reddy reiterated that as a legislator, it was his primary duty to protect the natural mineral wealth of the State and had the right to visit any place in the State. He informed that his party would expose the alleged illegal mining activities being carried out by the Chief Minister through people such as G. Janardhan Reddy of Karnataka.

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