Tension prevailed for some time when the Gudur police, after a wordy duel, allegedly roughed up a bouncer engaged by Amaravati farmers to to keep at bay troublemakers during court to temple long march to Tirupati, which resumed from the non-descript Sydapuram village in SPSR Nellore district on Saturday.
A group of 157 farmers from the capital region, half of them women, led by Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti convener A.Siva Reddy, staged a noisy protest demanding suspension of the Gudur Circle Inspector, who allegedly behaved rudely with a private security guard. The farmers have engaged 40 private security guards to ward off any possible violent attacks by miscreants en route and ensure smooth flow of vehicluar traffic in coordination with the police personnel providing security.
Amaravati Parirakshna Samiti leader P.Sudhakar alleged that the State government was trying to put hurdles to their “Nyayasthanam to Devastham Mahapadayatra” as support from local people swelled every day. He referred to the police allegedly preventing local people from mingling with them and stopping distribution of “prasadams” offered to the rath of Lord Venkateswara Swamy, which was in the forefront.
“We will continue our long march come what may overcoming all hurdles,” said Mr. Sudhakar, as the Padayatra meandered through the narrow roads riddled with potholes up to Rajuvari Kandrika covering a distance of 10 km. The farmers have so far logged 375 km in the 34 days of their march.
