Rights panel seeks report on Naidu's detention

The National Human Rights Commission today sought a report from the Maharashtra government on the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his supporters in the state, after allegations they were ill-treated in custody.

The National Human Rights Commission today sought a report from the Maharashtra government on the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his supporters in the state, after allegations they were ill-treated in custody.

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Acting on a complaint filed by TDP Rajya Sabha MP M.V. Mysura Reddy and other party leaders, the human rights body has asked the state chief secretary and police chief to give their report within two weeks.

The complainants have alleged that Naidu and other legislators of TDP were arrested by the Maharashtra Police July 16 when they were going to visit the site of the Babli dam on Godavari River.

"They were ill treated at the time of their arrest and also in judicial custody. It is also alleged that they were not provided even minimum facilities," the complainant said.

"Again on Tuesday, when they were taken to an unknown destination, police resorted to unwarranted lathi-charge (baton-charge) and many of the legislators were manhandled by police," he added.

The TDP leaders, including Naidu, had entered Dharmabad town, around 8 km from the Maharashtra-Andhra Pradesh border in Nanded district, to protest against the Babli dam on Godavari river. They alleged that Maharashtra was building the dam illegally and this would deprive Andhra Pradesh of its due share of Godavari waters.