The police foiled a bid by Maoist sympathisers to hold a meeting at the Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram here on Sunday to mark the tenth anniversary of formation of CPI (Maoist).
180 persons arrestedAs many as 180 persons were arrested by the police when they headed for the meeting. They included revolutionary writer Varavara Rao who is the convenor of Forum for Alternative Politics that was supposed to hold the meeting. He was picked up from his house at Jawaharnagar.
The police had denied permission to the meeting holding the forum as an affiliate of the CPI (Maoist). They barricaded the roads and set up barbed wire fencing near SV Kendram to prevent the congregation.
Senior officials said they were justified in not giving permission because the High Court had also not taken up a house motion moved by the forum to be allowed to hold the meeting.
Cultural activistA cultural activist from Jharkhand Jeetan Marandi was among a number of outstation activists arrested at Tulja Bhavan near Kachiguda where they were provided accommodation. The forum member Kalyan Rao was arrested on Saturday at Machavaram in Guntur district.
Both, Mr. Varavara Rao and Mr. Kalyan Rao were prominent among those who addressed a rally at Nizam college grounds here to announce the launch of CPI (Maoist) 10 years ago. All the arrested persons were shifted to various police stations in the city and let off in the evening.
