TIRUPATI: High drama prevailed at Obanapalli in Chittoor during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday when police raided a house belonging to the follower of former city mayor and Telugu Desam leader Katari Hemalatha.
Her followers claimed she suffered minor injuries after being hit by a police vehicle when she resisted an attempt of police to arrest one of her followers, Poorna Chandra. Police have, however, denied the allegation.
According to police, they arrested one Prasanna Kumar after they recovered 2 kg of ganja from his possession. Based on his confession, police raided the house in Obanapalli belonging to Hemalatha’s follower Poorna Chandra late on Thursday night.
“We found 18 kg of ganja clandestinely stored inside the compound of Poorna Chandra. When we were returning with the contraband and the two accused Prasanna and Poorna Chandra, a group of people blocked our vehicle and took the duo away,” II Town circle inspector P. Yatheendra told Deccan Chronicle.
According to sources, on receiving information about the police raid, Hemalatha, along with her followers, reached Obanapalli and blocked the jeep in which the two accused were being taken away. When the police tried to speed away, the vehicle scraped against the former mayor, who reportedly suffered a minor fracture and was immediately rushed to hospital.
The circle inspector maintained that their vehicle did not hit anyone and none was hurt in the incident, though accused Prasanna and Poorna Chandra had been taken away by the group. Yatheendra said they have booked cases against the group of people who escaped with the accused and prevented police from discharging their duties.
Meanwhile, TD chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, state party president K. Atchannaidu, MLC Nara Lokesh and other party leaders have condemned police action against Hemalatha and her followers.
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