TDP Chief Taken Into Custody During YSRC Protests

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has been arrested by Visakhapatnam police on Thursday under section 151 given security measures as the ruling YSR Congress workers staged a protest opposing his visit, Visakhapatnam city Commissioner of Police Rajiv Kumar Meena said.

"He has cooperated with us and agreed to go to the VIP lounge at the airport. Though we initially tried to allow him to go ahead with his planned program, there were too many protestors and so we decided to take him into preventive custody for his safety," Meena said.

Tension prevailed near the airport with the TDP workers repulsing the YSRC activists who tried to block Naidu’s convoy. The police have taken him to the airport after much struggle with the protesters.

Earlier, there have been dramatic developments at Visakhapatnam airport since morning. The YSRCP cadre raised concerns at the airport against Chandrababu's visit.

To this end, the TDP activists have also become agitated and tension gripped after the leaders of the parties have attacked each other with stones and tomatoes.

Chandrababu, who reached Visakhapatnam, had to remain in his convoy outside the airport for about three hours. Then he got out of the vehicle and expressed his anguish against the attitude of the police and government. However, Naidu was not allowed to enter the city citing security threats.

He added that the police did not try stopping the protestors from attacking him and failed to maintain law and order. “The police are supporting the YSR Congress Party goons,” he said. “I have been in politics for 40 years now and I [have] never witnessed such an incident.”

Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh also said YSRCP workers from other districts like Kadapa were brought to Vizag to oppose Naidu.

Mr Naidu tried to sit on the road in dharna, protesting against the roadblock by alleged YSRCP workers. He was put under preventive arrest and ultimately took a flight to Hyderabad late evening from Vizag, as he was not being allowed to go out into the district.