ANANTAPUR: Even as Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in Tadipatri town of Anantapur district,Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader JC Diwakar Reddy along with his brother JC Prabhakar Reddy planned an indefinite hunger strike in the town on Monday.

To maintain law and order in the area, Satya Yesubabu, Superintendent of Police, Anantapur has deployed a large contingent of police force in the town and denied permission to the brothers to conduct any form of protest or rallies. Police have also strictly instructed people not to violate prohibitory orders.

It may be recollected that the Tadipatri police on Friday had filed two cases against JC Prabhakar Reddy and his son Asmith Reddy under the SC ST ( Prevention of Atrocities Act) after receiving complaints from two persons. The JC brothers as they are popularly known have courted controversy many times and people are criticising them that these protests were only a drama to escape from various cases that have been foisted on them.

Prabhakar Reddy and his son Asmith were arrested in August last year for abusing and threatening a Dalit Inspector named Devendra. Cases were registered against him, one under the stringent Prevention of Atrocities Against SC, STs Act and for various violations of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions then.

They were also arrested in connection with a case of malpractice for registration of their buses under the Diwakar travels. The two, besides a few others, are accused of fabricating documents to facilitate registration of buses besides illegally converting BS-III vehicles into BS-IV vehicles in Kohima of Nagaland using forged documents.

Meanwhile police are checking vehicles entering Tadipatri to ensure no anti social-elements enter the region. Shops and establishments were also being closed to avoid any damage to property.