Congress MP from Vijayawada L. Rajagopal was arrested on Monday at the airport here soon after he landed to launch an indefinite fast to oppose the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh, police said.
Tension prevailed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on the city outskirts as Mr. Rajagopal’s supporters tried to resist the arrest.
Police have taken Mr. Rajagopal to an undisclosed location in view of threats by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), student bodies and Congress leaders from Telangana region to stop him from launching any protest here.
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The industrialist, whose Lanco Group of companies has huge business interests in Hyderabad, is against the central government’s decision to give separate statehood to Telangana region, which comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad.
As tension was mounting in the city following TRS’ allegations that Mr. Rajagopal was bringing hired goons from Vijayawada to create trouble in Hyderabad, police Sunday night raided several hotels and lodges in the city and arrested several supporters of the MP.
Andhra and Rayalseema regions of the state are witnessing protests for the last four days against the government’s decision to initiate the process for granting separate statehood to Telangana.
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