Khammam: Author Kancha Ilaiah was detained and sent back to Hyderabad by the local police when he was on his way to participate in a conference of the Goat and Sheep Rearers Association here on Sunday.

Tension prevailed in front of the CPI(M) district office when the police whisked Ilaiah away in a vehicle amid failed attempts by activists of various constituent organisations of the Telangana Mass and Social Organisations Forum (T-MASS) to resist police action.

Protesting his detention, Ilaiah said it was an attempt by the State to “gag” freedom of expression. However, the police claimed that Ilaiah was sent back to Hyderabad with police escort to avert any “law and order” issue. The police cited the instances of protests staged by the Arya Vysya JAC over Ilaiah's book on the Vysya community in recent months.

Ilaiah had camped at the CPI (M)'s district office after his arrival in the town from Hyderabad earlier in the day.

A team of police personnel had arrived at that locality in a bid to prevent him from proceeding to the Pavilion Grounds, venue of the Goat and Sheep Rearers Conference.

Talking to media persons at Sundaraiah Bhavan earlier in the day, Ilaiah said that he was in Khammam to take part in the deliberations of the state conference of the Goat and Sheep Rearers Association and articulate his views on the welfare of impoverished members of the community. Incidentally, Ilaiah belongs to the community and he calls himself Kancha Ilaiah Shephard.

“I am a writer, academician, social reformer and an advisor to the Goat and Sheep Rearers Association. The issue over my book has been resolved and the Supreme Court has refused to ban it,” he said.

“When I am acting within the constitutional framework to exercise my freedom of expression, why are the police infringing on my fundamental rights?” he asked, saying that the Telangana government owed an explanation in this regard. “AP government barred me from participating in a meeting in October and now the Telangana government for the first time, imposed curbs on me,” he said.