VIJAYAWADA: A group of Congress activists released black balloons into the air here on Monday in response to a call given by the APCC to protest against the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Andhra Pradesh without fulfilling his election promises.
After his two-day visit to Hyderabad, Modi arrived at Gannavaram airport in the morning. Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and other officials welcomed the Prime Minister.
Minutes before Modi's arrival, Congress activists Sunkara Padmasree, Challa Savitri and Kishore were seen walking towards the airport holding placards and black balloons to stage a protest. "We took the Congress activists into custody and booked them under Sections 353, 341, 188 and 145 of the IPC," Krishna district SP P Jashuva told The New Indian Express.
However, some other activists managed to release black balloons from the terrace of a building while the choppers carrying Modi and other dignitaries took off from the airport to Bhimavaram.
Condemning the Congress protest, BJP State president Somu Veerraju suspected a 'bigger conspiracy' behind the release of balloons when three dignitaries, including the PM, CM and Governor were going to Bhimavaram by helicopters and demanded a detailed probe into the incident.
Veerraju said he would lodge a complaint with the Union Home Ministry against the ‘security breach’. Another Congress activist Rajiv Ratan, who was said to be the mastermind behind the idea of releasing black balloons during the PM's visit, is at large.
The SPG, Intelligence and other agencies are probing how the Congress activists managed to come close to the airport, a police official said.
No breach of security: Krishna district SP P Jashuva
Clarifying that there was no breach of security at Gannavaram airport, Krishna district SP Jashuva said Congress leaders Rajeev Ratan and Ravi Prakash climbed an apartment under construction at Surampalli and released the black balloons.
"Five minutes after Modi's chopper took off from Gannavaram airport, Rajeev and Ravi released the black balloons. By that time, the chopper had attained the maximum height and there were no scope of balloons going close to it posing a threat to the VIPs," he said.
Later, Ravi was also taken into custody.