ADILABAD: A day after clashes erupted between the BRS and Congress workers during the municipal chairperson and vice-chairperson elections, police arrested former Chennur MLA Balka Suman from his residence in Kyathanpalli in Mancherial district on Wednesday.
The BRS leader was shifted to Mancherial Government Hospital for a medical examination and later produced before the Mancherial district court. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody. Subsequently, he was transferred to the Adilabad district prison.
According to police, Devapur SHO A Gangaram lodged a complaint at Ramakrishnapur police station stating that while he was on bandobast duty on the Kyathanpalli flyover near Maruthinagar around 10.30 am, Suman, along with former ZP vice-chairman Mulla Raja Reddy and several BRS and CPI leaders, arrived in vehicles and obstructed police personnel from doing their duty, claiming they were not being given permission to proceed.
They alleged that at the same time, Labour and Mining Minister G Vivek and Peddapalli MP G Vamshi Krishna were allowed to move towards the Kyathanpalli municipal office to cast their ex-officio votes. Soon, the BRS and Congress leaders reportedly came face to face, raising slogans.
Police said stones were pelted at Congress activists and personnel, leaving one constable injured. Kotapalli SI S Rajashekhar sustained finger injuries in the melee.
Cases were registered against 26 persons, including Suman as A1, under relevant sections of the BNS related to unlawful assembly, rioting, obstruction of police and assault on public servants. If proven, these offences can attract imprisonment and fine.
Suman alleged that District Collector Kumar Deepak and certain police officials acted as “agents” of minister Vivek. The former legislator claimed that the BRS-CPI alliance secured a clear majority, winning 14 of the 22 wards in Kyathanpalli municipality.
KTR condemns arrest
Meanwhile, BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned the arrest of Suman. He alleged that minister Vivek was “giving directions” to officials during the elections. “It amounts to violation of the Constitution,” he said and added that the returning officers, police officers and others worked under the directions of the ruling party.
Alleging that the police acted like a private army of Congress, Rama Rao warned them of consequences when the BRS returns to power.
Demanding immediate release of Balka Suman and other BRS leaders, he urged the Governor to intervene and order a comprehensive probe into the incident.