Bhima Koregaon case: Pune Police take custody of Varavara Rao after his house arrest extension ends

His supporters gathered in huge numbers right from the morning and staged a dharna protesting his arrest and terming it as the state and Union government’s attempt to shut public voices.
Poet Varavara Rao taken into police custody after his house arrest ended on 17 November 2018. (Photo | S Senbagapandiyan/ EPS)
Poet Varavara Rao taken into police custody after his house arrest ended on 17 November 2018. (Photo | S Senbagapandiyan/ EPS)

HYDERABAD: Amid high drama and rumours doing rounds from Friday evening regarding the arrest of Hyderabad-based revolutionary writer P Varavara Rao, Pune police arrested him from his Gandhi Nagar residence on Saturday late evening.

This development comes after the High Court at Hyderabad on Friday dismissed Varavara Rao’s plea to quash the case registered against him at Pune, in connection with the clashes at Bhima Koregaon. The court which told Varavara Rao to approach the Bombay High Court or the appropriate court, also told him to avail the remedies under law since the transit warrant given to the Pune police by a lower court had
become infructuous.

As a preventive measure, police in big numbers including women police from Hyderabad city police were deployed.

Meanwhile, tensed moments unfolded outside Siddamshetty Himasai Heights that houses Varavara Rao’s residence. His supporters gathered in huge numbers right from the morning and staged a dharna protesting his arrest and terming it as the state and Union government’s attempt to shut public voices. They also demanded that they be allowed to meet Varavara Rao before he is arrested.

Progressive Organisation of Women's (POW) leader Sandhya said if there is a case against him, they will arrest him and do their procedures, but why are we being stopped from entering his house or meeting him. “If they are coming to arrest him as per the law, why will we protest? Arresting him itself for false cases is illegal and preventing us from entering is another violation of our rights, ” she said.

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