VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam police on Sunday said they have served a notice on Telugu film star and Jana Sena chief K Pawan Kalyan as his supporters allegedly attacked ministers, civilians and police officials at the local airport. The attack left some people injured, the police said.
The police, however, did not specify who were the public representatives or police officers nor the number of those grievously injured.
Acting on the instructions of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Visakhapatnam police prevented Kalyan from venturing out of his hotel room and conducting a scheduled 'Jana Vani' programme, where he was supposed to listen to the grievances of citizens.
On the other hand, several Jana Sena leaders and workers were taken into police custody in connection with the alleged attack on ministers, civilians and police officials.
Kalyan received the police notice, served on him by the Visakhapatnam Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) Harshita Chandra, 'in protest' as "we are in no way connected with the gathering of people at the airport as the flight from Hyderabad (in which he arrived) landed at 4.40 pm".
The ruling YSR Congress, on the other hand, released a photo of a person with a head injury, claiming it related to the attack by the Jana Sena workers.
While the ACP refused to answer questions as she was 'busy with bandobust', repeated efforts to reach the Visakhapatnam police commissioner for clarification proved futile.
Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to Kalyan over the phone this evening and enquired about the happenings in Visakhapatnam.
Chandrababu strongly condemned the police restrictions on the movement of the Jana Sena chief.
"In a democracy, every political party has a right to conduct its programmes. How can the YSRC government obstruct the opposition," the former Chief Minister questioned. The BJP condemned the police action against the Jana Sena.
"If indeed the alleged attack by Jana Sena workers is true, is it not a failure of the police (in protecting the ministers),"BJP general secretary S Vishnuvardhan Reddy questioned.
Both Chandrababu and Vishnuvardhan demanded that the cases foisted on Jana Sena workers be withdrawn and the arrested persons released immediately.
"It is very unfortunate to witness such high-handed police behaviour in Visakhapatnam. JSP has always held the AP police force in high esteem. Arresting our leaders is unwarranted,"Pawan Kalyan said in a tweet.
He requested the Director General of Police to intervene and release the JSP leaders immediately.
"I shall be forced to express my solidarity at the police station," he said in another tweet.
Later, Kalyan greeted scores of party workers and people "who lined up on the beach road " from his hotel room window.
"Hope AP Police won't tell me not to greet from my room's window,"he said in a tweet.
"Our beloved AP police under the eminent leadership of CM Sri Thanos barred me not to hold Jana Sena programs, no rallies, no meetings. Left me with this option only "from my room window," he said in another tweet.