Andhra police begins crackdown ahead of massive Kapu rally on July 26

Ahead of the massive ‘padayatra’ announced by former minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham, the Andhra police have said that the agitating leaders do not have the permission to hold the rally.

Agitating Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham has proposed for a ‘Chalo Amaravathi’ padayatra on July 26. The Kapus for long have been demanding the Backward Class status. The padayatra will cover 116 villages in 4 districts beginning from Kirlamudi to Amaravathi.

The State government, however, is no mood to entertain the agitation and has said that it would anything to stop the repeat of the Tuni arson, where a train was burnt are the Kapu protest turned violent.

Director-General of Police N. Sambhasiva Rao said that Mudragada has not sought police permission.

  “Supreme Court has issued guidelines in a specific manner with regard to the possible law and order issues during agitations and that the police would follow the same without fail,” Rao said.

Opposition leaders of YCP, CPM and CPI have been issued confinement orders under 149 CRPC. The police also have prohibitory orders under sections 30 and 144 in several of the villages.

Police issued notice to Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi of Congress and to CPM district general secretary T. Arun at the CPM office in Rajamahendravaram. They were unable to issue orders to YCP Rajamahendravaram rural co-ordinator Akula Veeraju since he was in Hyderabad.

Police specifically warned them that this padayatra is against the law and participation in it will lead to dire consequences.

Police gave stringent warnings to all the party leaders in West Godavari district who support Mudragada and are intending to participate in the padayatra. The police tried to issue notices in the CPI office but since the party workers were in another meeting, they could not do so.

All the notices were issued in the name of Prakashnagar Sub Inspector of Police. Rajamahendravaram Urban SP B. Rajakumari said that notices were served to all leaders supporting Mudragada’s padayatra but CPI leader Mesala Satyanarayana criticised that the police orders were against democracy.