Cops admit Congress leader Ponnam Prabhakar on hunger strike to hospital

The indefinite hunger strike launched by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee vice president and former Lok Sabha MP Ponnam Prabhakar was foiled by police on its third day in Karimnagar of Telangana.

The veteran Congress leader was on an indefinite hunger strike in Karimnagar town demanding sanction of a government medical college as promised by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.

Ponnam was taken into the custody on Tuesday morning and shifted to Karimnagar Government Hospital. After examining him, doctors on Monday stated that the hunger strike may affect his health after which the state government ordered the police to put an end to the strike. However, the former MP has declared that he will continue with the hunger strike from the hospital till his demand is met.

Meanwhile, Congress has called for a district shutdown protesting against the police action, against the state government for disrupting the strike and also against the arrest of Prabhakar.

The hunger strike, which was launched on August 5, had attracted a large support from Opposition leaders of Telugu Desam Party, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Left parties, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Lok Satta. Many voluntary organisations had also extended solidarity to Poonam Prabhakar.

Chief Minister and Telangana Rastra Samiti chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, who has represented the district thrice in the Parliament, had promised to establish a medical college in the district headquarters three years ago.

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