Police Stop YSRCP Fact-Finding Committee on Illegal Quarries

Guntur: Police in the district prevented the YSR Congress Party fact-finding committee on illegal mining quarries from proceeding and did not allow the party committee members to tour Piduguralla and Dachepalli. YSRCP MLAs Gopireddi Srinivas Reddy, Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and party leader Kasu Mahesh Reddy were placed under house arrest this morning.

The police had taken complete control of Gurajala constituency and began to carry out illegal detentions of the party workers as well as supporters who came on to the streets. The cops also foisted false cases against them. The entire police drama was a conspiracy to stop the fact-finding committee from proceeding on its tour. Both the towns of Piduguralla and Dachepalli were under section 144.

The YSRCP leaders said that government was afraid that the truth would come out when the fact-finding committees make a tour across the region. Hence the police was trying to control their movement by making false and illegal arrests. Unfortunately, the police have become agents of local MLA Yarapatineni Srinivasa Rao. They said the police had sent them notice prior to the fact-finding committee starting their tour and threatened to carry out arrests if they did not cancel their proposed programme.

MLA Yarapatineni Is The Culprit: Kasu Mahesh Reddy

Speaking to media after being put under house arrest, YSRCP leader Kasu Mahesh Reddy said that illegal mining quarries were being operated in this region for over four years. He said the entire illegal mining operations functioned under the supervision of local MLA Yarapatineni Srinivasa Rao. Afraid of inevitable disclosure, he was now trying distance himself from illegal mining.

Mahesh Reddy questioned the police as to why were they not allowing YSRCP committee to take up the tour, while they had given permission for a TDP rally three days ago. The permission was denied though it was sought through legal procedure. He said that the government was foisting false cases on innocent people in the illegal mining episode to enable the TDP leaders to walk scot-free.

Chandrababu, Lokesh Are Involved in Illegal Quarries: Gopireddi

YSRCP MLA Dr Gopireddi, speaking to media, said no one could hide the fact that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh were partners in illegal mining quarries. Since Chandrababu was partner to all these, he was afraid that the YSRCP fact-finding committee's visit might bring out all the bare facts.

He said the government was foisting false cases on farmers. "How could a small farmer loot Rs 40 crores?" he asked and said it was nothing but a cooked-up story. Even the hospital owned by Dr Gopireddi has been taken over by the police and it was leading to severe hardships for patients as well as attendants.

Democracy Is Dead In AP: Botsa

Senior YSRCP leader Botsa Satyanaraya was stopped by police today near Kaja toll gate by the police. Botsa had planned to travel to Gurajala to be part of the party's fact-finding committee on illegal mining quarries. An argument between the YSRCP leader and police took place when they tried to shift Botsa to Duggirala police station.

Later speaking to media, Botsa said that entire Guntur district was under police control and never had he seen such police high-handedness in the state. He said that democracy was dead in the state and court, law and constitution were mere dummies in AP. "Why was the government afraid of my going to Gurajala to find out the truth about mining quarry?"

Yet another YSRCP MLC Krishna Reddy was arrested by police while he was trying to go to Gurajala in Nadikudi railway station. Krishna Reddy was forcibly pulled out of the train and arrested by the police.

Also Read: Kurnool Quarry Blast: NBC Against TDP Leader