The Tuni police on Wednesday booked cases against former Minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham, former Union Minister M.M. Pallam Raju, Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumnatha Rao (Congress), former Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana (YSR Congress), Vatti Vasanta Kumar (Congress), Kanna Lakshminarayana (BJP), B.V.Ch. Mohan Rao, and 20 others.
According to Inspector of Police Appa Rao, FIR was filed against 27 persons who were associated with the Kapu Garjana meeting in Velama Kothuru of Tuni mandal and the subsequent arson and assault.
The police collected evidence such as video footage, eyewitnesses, and other vital clues before filing FIR, he said.
Unfortunate: DGP
Director-General of Police J.V. Ramudu, meanwhile, said that the indent was unfortunate. “We are trying to ascertain the facts and will take action against those involved in the arson and assault.”
When asked what preventive steps the police would take in view of Thursday evening deadline set by Mr. Padmanabam for his proposed fast along with his wife in Kirlampudi from Friday morning, the DGP said: “We are taking all precautions to see that the police should not be blamed again.”
He said he did not have specific statistics on deployment of forces in the wake of the proposed fast.
Earlier, Mr. Ramudu, on the sidelines of a meeting that lasted for over five hours, viewed video clippings of the entire public meeting, destruction of bogies of Ratnachal Express, attack on police stations, and subsequent arson and assault on police.
Towards the end of the meeting, he called the police personnel who were injured in the incident and spoke to them in an attempt to ascertain the facts. He assured them of putting all the facts before the Chief Minister and see that they were adequately compensated.
After the press meet, he left for Tuni to take stock of the situation. He was also expected to visit Kirlampudi in the night.
The DGP is learnt to have discussed the strategy with his immediate subordinates and the local police officials, including East Godavari SP Ravi Prakash, Rajamahendravaram SP S. Harikrishna, and others on the deadline set by Mr. Padmanabham and the possible outcome of FIR.
