The ten-hour drama at the police station ended after police shifted Telugu Desam Party MLA Devineni Umamaheswara Rao to his residence at around 8 p.m. on Saturday. Mr. Rao was released on personal surety.
The MLA, who was in the police preventive custody, insisted that the police allow him observe fast aimed at protecting the interests of Andhra and Rayalaseema people, as the UPA had announced bifurcation of the State.
However, police clarified that there was no question of granting permission for the indefinite fast as the Election Code of Conduct was in force in Krishna district, in view of Avanigadda by-election on August 21.
Earlier, tension prevailed at the police station as Mr. Umamaheswara Rao refused to leave Machavaram police station and continued the fast.
Additional forces
Additional forces were mobilised at the police station to control the agitators and tense situation continued till late in the evening.
Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana Rao, Nandigama MLA Tangirala Prabhakara Rao, former MLC Y.B.VRajendraprasad and TDP Mahila leaders visited the MLA in the police station and extended their support for the indefinite fast. Mr. Prabhakara Rao and the Telugu Mahila wing organised protests in front of the police station separately demanding the police to give permission for the proposed fast.
Police clarified that no permission was granted due to the law and order problem. Earlier in the day, the police threw a security blanket around Mr. Umamaheswara Rao’s house at Gollapudi and foiled the attempts of the TDP leaders to launch indefinite fast.
Police also took into preventive custody Vijayawada Central In-charge of TDP Bonda Umamaheswara Rao when he prepared to launch fast along with the MLA. The police said TDP leaders were taken into custody for violating the Election Code of Conduct, which was in force up to August 27. Additional police forces were deployed at several places in the city to prevent any untoward incident.
“The MLA, along with a few of his followers, was taken into preventive custody under Section 151 CrPc and released later. However no cases were booked against the TDP activists,” said a police officer.
