The police on Sunday arrested former Anantapur YSR Congress legislator B. Gurunath Reddy in connection with the violence and arson at the MRO office following murder of YSR Congress leader Bhumireddy Prasada Reddy, on April 27.
The police also took four others into custody in connection with the murder, taking the number of arrests to eight. Mr. Bhumireddy Prasada Reddy was hacked to death by seven to eight assailants at the MRO office.
Mr. Gurunath Reddy, who was arrested from his residence in Hyderabad by the Anantapur police, was being brought to Anantapur in connection with the damage to government property, which included setting ablaze furniture at the Raptadu MRO office, and damaging two-wheelers parked on the office premises.
‘Harassment’
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Gurunath Reddy accused the police of trying to weaken the resolve of the YSR Congress leaders and the cadre in the district by harassing them in all possible ways while covering up their own inabilities.
“I have been accused of instigating riots after the murder. However, the fact is that there were more than 50 police personnel including two DSP rank officers at the (murder) spot by the time I reached there. It was their inability to control the situation and those present at the spot can vouch for it that the outrage was sudden and spontaneous. No one can instigate the crowd in front of a posse of policemen,” Mr. Gurunath Reddy said.
50 rounded up
The police have also rounded up around 50 people in connection with the arson.
The police also arrested YSR Congress leader Topudurthi Prakash Reddy, who had contested unsuccessfully against Civil Supplies Minister Paritala Sunita from the Raptadu constituency, in connection with the rioting.
Senior YSR Congress leader and former Anantapur MP Ananta Venkatrami Reddy condemned the arrests and said that their party leaders were being targeted for political gains.
Police take four others into custody in connection with YSRC leader Prasada Reddy’s murder
