Health and Family Welfare Minister Aravind Limbavali allegedly engaged in a spat with the police after they took some of his supporters to station as they stopped garbage lorries at Mandur on Sunday night.
According to police sources, more than 50 supporters of the minister stopped 150 garbage lorries at Mandur and sent them back as the BBMP had not given the villagers a written undertaking about stopping the dumping of garbage at Mandur by January end. The police received information about it and rushed to the spot. They took some of the protestors to Avalahalli police station and warned them that they would be arrested if they continue to stop vehicles.
“One of them informed the minister about it. Within a few minutes, the minister called up the inspector and ordered him to release all his supporters. But the inspector clarified that they were not arrested and were just brought to station. But the minister did not listen to him and came to the station and demanded their immediate release,” a source said.
“The minister shouted at the policemen that he was a minister and will they arrest him if he stops the garbage trucks. There was an argument between senior police officials and the minister. However, the protestors were arned of arrest if they stop the garbage trucks and were let free,” the source said.
“The minister had called up a sub-inspector and asked him to stop garbage trucks in the night. The sub-inspector had reported the matter to senior officers, but it was not taken seriously,” the source said.