‘They’re being targeted for questioning government’s autocratic decisions’, Civil society activists slam Telangana government for arresting TVV president, TPF vice-president

Also present at the press conference were Chandrakala and Sandhya, partners of Maddileti and Krishna respectively, who told the media that they still do not know the whereabouts of the two leaders.

HYDERABAD:  Civil society activists and family members of TVV president Maddileti and TPF vice-president Krishna have alleged that the two leaders were being targeted for speaking up against the autocratic decisions of the State government.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday, TPF president Ravichandra said, “When the police reached the TPF office and informed about the arrest of Maddileti and Krishna, we asked them to wait for our advocate to reach the spot. But they did not and hurriedly took them in a vehicle which incidentally had a Maharashtra registration number.” 

Also present at the press conference were Chandrakala and Sandhya, partners of Maddileti and Krishna respectively, who told the media that they still do not know the whereabouts of the two leaders. “Last week, over 50 police personnel arrived at our home to carry out searches. They brought fabricated letters with them and posed as if the letters were found in our home. They also took away our educational certificates,” said Chandrakala. Last week, the Gadwal police searched Maddileti’s residence and seized a laptop and other incriminating material.

The TVV activists alleged that they have become government targets due to their fight against corporate education. “TVV has been working for student issues since 2006 and there have been no cases of links with the Maoist party until 2014. It was only after Telangana state was formed, that we became government targets,” said M Sandeep, TVV secretary.

A few days back, without any notification or government order, the Hyderabad police commissioner had announced that several civil society organisations, including TVV and TPF, were banned. “This was done only to intimidate the activists. TPF and TVV played key roles in Telangana movement and will continue to question the government, as and when needed,” said TPF president Ravichandra