KALABURAGI: In a dramatic twist of events, the police have taken BJP leader Manikanth Rathod into preventive custody an hour before his press conference to be held on Thursday morning.
Rathod, who lost from Chittapur constituency against RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge in the recent assembly elections, was about to address media at 11.30 am. The reporters at 11 am received an audio message stating that Rathod had been ‘gheraoed’ at his house on the pretext of giving protection, and requested the reporters to come to his residence at Humnabad Ring Road, where he would reveal some facts with evidence. However, by the time they reached, the police had already taken him under preventive custody.
Police sources said that an employee of ACC (Associated Cement Factory) belonging to Banjara community had committed suicide in Wadi. Apprehending law and order problems in Kalaburagi and Wadi, police have taken Rathod into preventive custody as he is a leader of the Banjara community.
It may be recalled here that Kalaburagi SP Adduru Srinivasalu had given a statement that Rathod misguided the police by saying that his (Rathod) injuries from an accident were caused due to assault by miscreants.
On Wednesday, Srinivasalu had said that Manikanth Rathod has lodged a police complaint that while he was returning to Kalaburagi from Chittapur on Nov 19, some miscreants had stopped his car and attacked him and his friend.
The SP added that it was found in the investigation that they had sustained injuries in an accident. Rathod was to address the press conference to counter the police’s statement. BJP condemned the arrest and the party’s city unit president Siddaji Patil alleged that the rural development minister and district police are taking revenge against Rathod for booking cases one after an another, they harassing Rathod.