Vizag Hots Up After YS Jagan Held At Airport On Way To Join Andhra Yuvatha Mauna Deeksha

Vizag: YSR Congress Party president, Opposition Leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was on Thursday prevented from leaving the airport when he arrived in Vizag to take part in the Andhra Yuvatha Mauna Deeksha candle rally demanding Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

YS Jagan accompanied by the party senior leader, Rajya Sabha Member V. Vijayasai Reddy, YV Subba Reddy, Ambati Rambabu and others staged a sit-in protesting the police reaction. He was not allowed to move even a step after alighting from a SpiceJet flight in which he flew from Hyderabad this afternoon.

The situation in Vizag suddenly turned volatile after the Opposition Leader's arrest. The crowds have been swelling at RK Beach where people were trying take out a candle rally in response to a social media call for the Special Status.

Earlier in the day, police arrested scores of protesters near RK Beach when they were trying to enter from different entry points. Popular parody actor Sampoornesh Babu, producer-director Tammareddy Bharadwaja and dozens of youths were taken into custody to prevent them from participating in the Mauna Deeksha candle protest demanding Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The state government's repressive measures against the Andhra Yuvatha Mauna Deeksha are being criticized by various quarters. Lok Satta chief Jayaprakash Narayan condemned the repression of a peaceful agitation.

Actor Nithiin extended support to the agitation.

After a three-hour stalemate at the airport, the police forcibly sent the Opposition Leader and other YSRCP leaders back to Hyderabad in a special flight.

Meanwhile, people came out in support of YS Jagan to the beach and held a candle protest. Rallies were also organized in Vijayawada, Kadapa, Kakinada, Tirupati, Eluru, Anantapur and several other towns. However, police used force to suppress the agitation by arresting dozens of YSRCP leaders throughout the state.

Meanwhile, popular film director Ram Gopal Varma lauded the courage and persistence shown by Jagan Mohan Reddy and ridiculed Pawan Kalyan for not venturing out in support of the agitation.