Tense moments were witnessed at the CPI(M) office after the Guntur Urban Police foiled an attempt by the party leaders to visit Gottipadu village, where violent clashes were witnessed between two communities on the New Year-eve.
CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu, district secretary Pasam Rama Rao, and other leaders were taken into preventive custody. A local party leader was injured in the melee.
Condemning the arrests, Mr. Madhu said the government trampled on the basic constitutional freedom and prevented them from going to the village to express their solidarity with the Dalits who faced abuse and harassment allegedly from the upper caste groups.
High drama
Action began with the police reaching the party office at Brodiepet. The leaders also reached there and tried to board the vehicles leading to Gottipadu.
But the police prevented them. The leaders were later put into police vehicles. There was high drama on the streets as the party leaders were chased away by the police.
The police said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were in force at the village, and added that permission would not be given to any protest or demonstration.
