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Telangana Congress leader held ahead of KCR’s meeting, released later
Telangana Congress working president Anumula Revanth Reddy, who was arrested by the police in an early morning swoop on his residence in Kodangal of Vikarabad district, was released in the evening following a direction from the Hyderabad high court.
Telangana Congress working president Anumula Revanth Reddy, who was arrested by the police in an early morning swoop on his residence in Kodangal of Vikarabad district on Tuesday, was released in the evening following a direction from the Hyderabad high court.
Reddy was taken into preventive custody on the directions of the Election Commission to prevent any untoward incident in Kodangal in the wake of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrashekar Rao’s (KCR) meeting later.
The EC gave the orders following a report from the returning officer of Kodangal that his presence in the town might lead to law and order breakdown, as he had earlier threatened to stall the chief minister’s meeting and called for a shutdown of the town to protest the alleged police raids on his associates in the town a couple of days ago to search for unaccounted money.
Local Congress leaders moved a lunch motion in the high court objecting to the arrest. They also petitioned chief electoral officer Rajath Kumar, seeking his release.
After questioning the police on the propriety of Reddy’s arrest, the high court directed Telangana director general of police M Mahender Reddy and the CEO to immediately release Reddy.
Soon after, the police escorted the Congress leader, who was lodged in the police training centre at Jadcherla, back to Kodangal amidst tight security.
The police, who also took his brothers, gunmen and even the watchman of his house into custody, released them later.
Reddy’s wife Geetha told reporters that police had broken the front door of their house at around 3 am, entered the bedroom and forcibly taken him away without even giving him a chance to change.
“This is highly undemocratic. He had only asked the people to question the government for neglecting the constituency by the TRS government in the last four years and not implementing the promises. I appeal to the people not to indulge in any violence but to maintain peace and show their anger in the form of a vote against the TRS,” she said.
Local TRS leaders led by party candidate P Narender Reddy on Monday lodged a complaint with EC authorities and also the DGP, alleging that Reddy was trying to instigate people and create law and order problems during the chief minister’s meeting.
Following instructions from the election commission, the police imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on Monday and Tuesday.
The election to elect lawmakers for the 119 constituencies in Telangana will be held on December 7 and votes will be counted on December 11.
