At least 26 protesters including BJP MLC P.V.N. Madhav have been arrested while they attempted to arrive Sub-Collector office in Amalapuram town in East Godavari district on Friday to protest against burning of Antarvedi temple chariot as part of Chalo Amalapuram.
The Chalo Amalapuram call was given by the BJP, asking BJP and Jana Sena Party members and leaders to stage dharna in front of the Amalapuram Sub-Collector office, protesting the recent attacks on Hindu temples including burning of chariot of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple.
A senior police official on duty of the Chalo Amalapuram in East Godavari district told The Hindu : “At least 26 protesters have been arrested in Amalapuram while they were attempting to arrive the Sub Collector office. They include BJP MLC Mr. Madhav, BJP Amlapuram Parliamentary Constituency President Manepalli Ayyaji Vema and others”.
The group of 26 protesters had escaped from the police from the house arrest and managed to enter the Amalapuram town by Friday afternoon.
The East Godavari SP Office has confirmed that the Chalo Amalapuram programme is peaceful and no untoward incident had reported anywhere in the district. However, the police have blocked all the roads leads to Amalapuram and Konaseema area in the East Godavari district, preventing any gathering by the pollical party leaders and protesters.
The commercial activity was completely shut down in response to call given by the Amalapuram Chaber of Commerce protesting the recent attacks on Hindu temples. According to an official release issued by Amalapuram Sub-Collector Himanshu Kaushik, the Police Act and Section 144 will be in force till September 20 in the Amalapuram Revenue Division in the wake of protests and spread of COVID-19 among the police personal on duty in the division.
