Lagadapati Rajagopal, Congress MP who was on a fast-unto-death for the last seven days demanding an unified State, dramatically ‘left’ the Government General Hospital at 10.25 p.m. on Sunday to an unknown destination, leaving the large number of police who were guarding the premises red-faced.
There were about 300 policemen of different wings keeping a close watch on the GGH premises when the MP gave them the slip and disappeared in a jiffy to head towards a destination not known immediately.
Dramatic getaway
Emerging from the Central Diagnostic Block where he was being kept in a special ward for the last two days with a brisk walk, Mr. Rajagopal sped away in a Qualis vehicle bearing registration number AP 16 AH 6789, belonging to former corporator P. Gowtham Reddy, which was readily stationed there. Even as the large number of policemen and media persons wondered what was happening, the vehicle hit the main gate in a ‘filmi’ manner and raced towards Ramavarappadu on National Highway-5. It was initially believed that the vehicle headed towards Visakhapatnam, but there was no confirmation.
The distraught policemen quickly recovered and tried to follow the vehicle, but could not catch up. Eyewitnesses said that the vehicle had on board only the MP, Mr. Gowtham Reddy and the driver.
The police went into a tizzy and launched a manhunt to find out where the MP could have gone. An alert was sounded to all police stations in the city and on the National Highways. Till reports reached here last, his whereabouts were not known. The police were not willing to comment on the turn of events, which left them completely surprised.
