KAKINADA/VIJAYAWADA : In a shocking incident, Jana Sena Party MLA Pantham Nanaji, along with his supporters, allegedly assaulted Prof Uma Maheswara Rao, Vice-Chairman (Sports) of Rangaraya Medical College, on Saturday evening.
The Kakinada Rural MLA had sought permission to use the medical college ground for a volleyball match. The necessary approval for it is still pending. Upon receiving a complaint from his followers pertaining to the delay, Nanaji ‘forcibly’ entered the college ground and ‘abused’ Prof Rao. The MLA allegedly assaulted Prof Rao by grabbing his mask, and his followers also joined him.
Condemning the incident, the Rangaraya Medical College management lodged a complaint with the district SP against Nanaji and others. However, the police are yet to register a case.
In the complaint, Dr Vishnuvardhan, Principal and Additional Director of Rangaraya Medical College, said Prof Rao, Head of Department of Forensic Medicine, was verbally abused by the MLA, and physically attacked by his supporters. The incident took place when Prof Rao tried to stop betting activities associated with volleyball and badminton matches, involving outsiders on the college ground.
Nanaji expresses regret over incident
Dr Vishnuvardhan submitted video evidence of the MLA’s highhandedness, and urged the authorities to take action against him. He informed that the doctors of the college would go on an indefinite strike, which may halt patient services at the Government General Hospital, if justice is not ensured to them.
Speaking to TNIE, Pantham Nanaji expressed regret over the incident, admitting that he spoke rudely in the heat of the moment.
The Kakinada Rural MLA stated that he went to the college ground to resolve the issue, but it escalated unexpectedly. He added that the doctor involved in the row was his old friend.
Condemning the JSP MLA’s assault on Rangaraya College Professor, Dr Ambati Naga Radhakrishna Yadav, chairman of YSRC NTR district doctors wing, demanded criminal action against all those involved in the incident. “If no action is taken, we will call for a Statewide protest by the medical fraternity,” he threatened.