Police crackdown on BRS leaders anticipating protest at Telangana Assembly

Telangana police have launched a statewide crackdown on BRS leaders and activists to prevent protests and possible siege of the Assembly. Several senior leaders, including K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s associates were placed under house arrest or detained, while cases were filed under SC/ST Act and other provisions.

Hyderabad: Anticipating trouble amid rising political temperatures and apprehensions of laying siege to the Assembly during the ongoing session, the police launched a Statewide crackdown on BRS leaders and activists on Tuesday.

Several BRS leaders were placed under house arrest or taken into preventive custody, while heavy police deployment was reported around BRS chief and Opposition K Chandrashekhar Rao’s residence at Erravelli.

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The action came amid growing political tension following Monday’s confrontation between BRS legislators and police at the Assembly gate. Police have registered five cases in connection with the incident. MLCs Thatha Madhu and B Naveen Kumar Reddy were booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other provisions over alleged remarks against Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. Cases were also registered against BRS leaders, including KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, G Jagadish Reddy, Padi Kaushik Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, V Sunitha Laxma Reddy, P Sabitha Indra Reddy and others, on allegations of assaulting and abusing police personnel.

Meanwhile, police stepped up surveillance around Chandrashekhar Rao’s Erravelli residence after the ruling Congress declaring plans to stage a protest. BRS activists staying at a function hall in Erravelli were also taken into custody and shifted to Begumpet police station in Hyderabad.

In Hyderabad, former Deputy Speaker T Padma Rao was placed under house arrest at his Monda Market residence. In the Cantonment constituency, police detained former market committee chairman T N Srinivas and several activists, while former board member K Pandu Yadav was also placed under house arrest. BRS spokesperson M Krishank was taken into custody after police forcibly entered his residence.

In Gajwel, several BRS leaders were arrested ahead of a proposed farmers’ protest in Markook mandal. Police deployed heavy forces in the constituency to prevent any untoward incident.
Preventive arrests were also reported in Makthal, Dharmaram, Karimnagar, Siddipet, Sircilla and Bhongir among other places. Former Makthal MLA Chittam Ram Mohan Reddy was placed under house arrest.

BRS leaders in Bhongir were prevented from attending a programme seeking implementation of the Congress government’s six guarantees and 420 promises.

The police action extended to RTC retired employees preparing for a “Chalo Assembly” over pending dues, with several union leaders and activists taken into custody at different places. Police also detained leaders of the Revenue Licence Surveyors’ Association and several former sarpanches, ahead of their proposed plans to protest at the Assembly.

The widespread preventive arrests and deployment have further heightened political tension ahead of the Assembly proceedings.