SRIKAKULAM: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary and member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Nara Lokesh was taken into custody in Srikakulam on Sunday morning when he was going to visit Palasa to meet TDP leaders and activists who were up in arms against the State Minister for Animal Husbandry Sidiri Appalaraju over the latter’s alleged harassment and misuse of police and revenue administration.
Mr. Lokesh, who was also scheduled to attend a marriage function in Pathapatnam, was not allowed to enter Srikakulam town, leading to protests by TDP leaders and activists. The leaders who gathered at the Srikakulam entrance to welcome Mr. Lokesh were shocked by his sudden detention, although the situation was normal in Srikakulam.
Former Ministers Kondru Muralimohan, Kala Venkata Rao, and Nimmakayala Chinarajappa strongly condemned the forcible custody of Mr. Lokesh. They raised slogans against the cops when they were touching Mr. Lokesh physically while detaining him.
Mr. Lokesh said that it was not appropriate on the part of police personnel since he was neither a terrorist nor an anti-social element.
Later, he was sent to the J.R. Puram police station in Ranasthalam, 30 kilometres from the Srikakulam town. Mr. Muralimohan said that the YSRCP government was misusing police power by preventing peaceful visits and protests of Opposition leaders.
Srikakulam MP Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and former Srikakulam MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi, senior leaders Kuna Ravikumar, Jami Bhimasankar and others also deplored the detention of Mr. Lokesh.
Tension prevails in Palasa
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Palasa town, where YSRCP leaders planned to take up a rally and protest at the local TDP office, seeking an apology from former TDP MLA Gowthu Sireesha who reportedly made derogatory remarks against Mr. Appalaraju.
Srikakulam SP G.R. Radhika said there was no permission for rallies and protests with the imposing of prohibitory orders under Section-144 in Palasa town.
Ms. Gowthu Sireesha said she would not offer any apology to anybody since she was registering her protest in a democratic manner. She alleged that the local revenue officials demolished a building owned by TDP councillor Suryanarayana under the guise of encroachment of tank lands in the town.
She said other YSRCP public representatives had not extended support to Mr. Appalaraju since they knew that the latter was misusing his power in the Palasa constituency.
