Partial bandh in Guntur against arrest of TDP MLA

Piduguralla and Gurazala towns in Guntur district, observed a partial shut down today in protest against the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Yerapatineni Srinivas Rao in connection murder of Congress leader U Narendra on November 27, 2012.

After a manhunt, the police arrested TDP MLA Srinivas Rao in Hyderabad last night and brought him to Piduguralla police station late last night. Srinivas Rao had made himself scarce after his anticipatory bail application was dismissed by the additional sessions court at Narasaraopet on December 31, 2012, after which the police launched a manhunt to nab him.

Rao, who was produced before a judicial magistrate and remanded to custody for 14 days, was transferred to the district jail at Guntur today. Tension prevailed as a large number of TDP workers collected at the prison and shouted slogans against the Congress government and prevented the police from whisking away the TDP MLA into prison. Angry TDP workers also staged a dharna at a few places in Guntur city.