Andhra BJP leaders held by police to foil agitation, Amalapuram town becomes fortress

Andhra Pradesh BJP General Secretary S Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, was arrested by the police at the Amalapuram town East Godavari District last night and was taken to various police stations and his whereabouts are still unknown. The leader has said that he was illegally arrested.

"I was illegally arrested by the police at midnight in Amalapuram. The government is responsible for what happened to me," tweeted the BJP General Secretary (roughly translated from Telugu).

"(We have been) travelling to many police stations since 11 pm. So far the police have not told me where are we going. The police have patrolling several police stations from 11 pm till now," he tweeted further.

He further wrote, accusing the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led government, "I do not understand the intention of the State government and the conduct of the police."

The Andhra Pradesh BJP demanded the release of those who were arrested in Antarvedi during the agitation against the temple chariot burning incident and lift the cases filed against them.

The BJP Andhra Pradesh called for a 'Chalo Amalapuram' today. In response, the police have house arrested many of the leaders including party president Somu Veerraju.

Huge numbers of police are deployed not only in Amalapuram town but in the entire Konaseema region as well. Section 30 and 144 of the CrPC is being imposed in Amalapuram.

Meanwhile, the state party vice president Ravela Kishore Babu, who is on his way to Amalapuram, has been detained by the police at Hanuman junction in Krishna district.

DIG Mohan Rao said that there are no permissions for the 'Chalo Amalapuram' taken up by the BJP. In a statement, he appealed to the people not to go to Amalapuram. He further said that Section 144 and 30 are imposed in the entire Konaseema region. In case anybody acts violating the rules, stern action will be taken on them, he warned.

The RDO office where the BJP leaders planned to give a memorandum to the local RDO, is surrounded by police in huge numbers. All the roads to Amalapuram are closed and barricaded.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a 'Chalo Amalapuram' protest which is scheduled to be held on Friday at Amalapuram town in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district, the party's state vice president Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said on Thursday.

( With inputs from ANI )