Amaravati: Police arrested scores of TDP workers at Chilakaluripet when they tried to block the police vehicle carrying their leader and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is being brought to Vijayawada from Nandyal where he was arrested early Saturday.
Police resorted to lathi charge resulting in injuries to some TDP men. Few media persons covering the protest were also injured.
There was tension in Chilakaluripet in Palnadu district when a large number of TDP supporters including women sat on the highway to protest against Naidu’s arrest. The protest led to a huge traffic jam and the police vehicle carrying Naidu was held up for more than half-an-hour.
Naidu himself got down from the vehicle and requested his supporters to clear the way for the convoy.
The TDP leader’s arrest has triggered huge protests by the party cadres. As Naidu is being brought by road from Nandyal, TDP workers gathered at several places enroute to stage the protest. At a few places they tried to stop the convoy but were dispersed by police.
At Chilakaluripet, the protest was led by former minister P. Pulla Rao. Large number of women joined the protest on the highway.
Naidu was arrested by the CID in the early hours of Saturday in Nandyal. The CID officials said he was arrested in the Skill Development Corporation scam, which took place when he was the chief minister.
The former chief minister was taken into custody from a bus in which he was taking rest in Nandyal after addressing a public meeting in the town last night.
After the medical examination in Nandyal, police were bringing him to Vijayawada by road. He is likely to be taken to SIT office in Kanchanapalli where the CID officials may question him. He is likely to be produced before the ACB court later in the day.
—IANS