The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Heavy bandobust at Lagadapati’s press meet

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Heavy bandobust at Lagadapati’s press meet

Special Correspondent

Commandos deployed to prevent protests by Telangana supporters

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

Playing it safe: RAF personnel standing outside the Press Club where Lagadapati Rajagopal addressed the media on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: Men and women of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) in light blue fatigues were in full strength again at the Press Club at Somajiguda when Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal addressed a news conference immediately after he got discharged from the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).

Stumbling block

The RAF, an anti-naxalite unit of Central Reserve Police Force from Warangal and commandos of police stood like a stumbling block to prevent protests when Mr. Rajagopal was being treated at NIMS.

Leaving nothing to chance, the police top brass decided to deploy RAF again at Press Club when the MP went there with a large number of followers.

Incidentally, Mr. Rajagopal was chased and attacked by supporters of separate Telangana in the same premises a few years back.

Journalists screened

A posse of policemen led by Deputy Commissioners Ravi Varma and Kamalasan Reddy screened every journalist entering the Press Club as a precautionary measure.

The RAF apart, plainclothes policemen were also deployed there in large numbers to meet the challenge from Telangana supporters who apparently gave up on Monday itself after observing the arrangements at NIMS.

Nonetheless, feeble voices of anger were heard here and there as long as Mr. Rajagopal was present in the premises.

They expressed themselves in a louder tone when the MP gave a historical account of the Kakatiya dynasty extending its rule to Kadapa and Nellore from Warangal which was its capital.

A few people in the gathering shouted at him not to go into history but confine himself to his action plan.

Mr. Rajagopal tried to assert himself saying he was free to express his views.

After all the press conference was convened by him and not by the journalists union. He would take questions after he finished his version.

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