Police arrested Telugu Desam MLA from Devineni Umamaheswara Rao at Gollapudi near Vijayawada on Saturday on charges of obstructing officials from discharging their duties at ‘Rachhabanda’, mass contact programme on Friday. Ten other persons who accompanied him during the protest were also booked on similar charges.
Superintendent of Police P.S.V. Ramakrishna said that the MLA was arrested under the non-bailable section 353 of IPC (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty). The other cases slapped against the MLA include: Section 341 (wrongful restraint), 143 (unlawful assembly), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) of IPC, and 71 Amendment Act, 32 Police Act, he said.
High drama prevailed near his residence as the police descended in large numbers in early hours. The police picked him up as soon as he stepped out of his residence at around 10 a.m. on Saturday. The TDP activists surrounded the police jeep protesting his arrest. The police thwarted their attempts, and took him to Mylavaram.
Mr. Rao speaking to reporters, asserted that he would not fear for the cases slapped against him. “I will continue to fight for the people” he asserted.
