The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) General Secretary Nara Lokesh was detained on Thursday by the Guntur Police in Andhra Pradesh. The former minister was enroute to Narasaraopet to meet the family of the Kota Anusha who was murdered this February by her stalker.
The Prattipadu police arrested Lokesh and took him to the station. Video footage of his arrest shared by the TDP show the police yanking the leader’s hand to force him out of the car. Lokesh was travelling with a convoy of followers to meet the family of Anusha.
నారా లోకేష్ ను అరెస్ట్ చేయడానికి దౌర్జన్యంగా తన వాహనం లోనుండి లాగుతున్న పోలీసులు.#NaraLokeshComingToNarasaraopeta #21DayDishaChallenge #JusticeForRamya pic.twitter.com/n6n47RtReY
— Telugu Desam Party (TDP Official) (@JaiTDP) September 9, 2021
The Guntur Superitendant of Police Vishnu Gunni had told media on Wednesday that the TDP leader had no police permission to visit Guntur on Thursday. Vishnu had said that the visit by Lokesh was politically motivated.
On Thursday the police have set up check posts from Vijayawada to the Gannavaram airport. Check posts were also set up along main routes to Narasaraopet, reported The Hans India.
Other TDP leaders who were detained include, former minister A Raja, Sattenapalli. The Narasaraopet constituency in-charges Chadalawada Aravinda Babu, Kodela Sivaram, Gannavaram constituency in-charge Bachula Arjun, were placed under house arrest.
Police on Wednesday also detained TDP leader Dr Kodela Sivaram at his office in Sattenapalli. The leader questioned by the YSRCP led government failed to take action against the accused in the Anusha case within 21 days as legislated under the Disha Act.
The YSRCP government had promised Anusha's family Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia and support in the form of government jobs. The TDP leaders accused the YSRCP government of not keeping its promise.