TDP spokesman, 13 others sent to judicial custody

Vijayawada, Feb 21:  A court in Andhra Pradesh's Gannavaram on Tuesday sent Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhiram and 13 other leaders to judicial custody for 14 days in a case of alleged attempt to murder.

Pattabhiram, Dontu Chinna, Gurumurthy and others, arrested by police at Gannavaram on Monday, were produced before a junior civil judge court.

Pattabhiram complained to the judge that he was beaten up by three masked men in Thotlavalluru police station. He alleged that third degree methods were used against him at the police station.

After hearing both sides, the judge sent the accused to judicial custody. He also issued orders for a medical examination of Pattabhiram.

The TDP leaders were booked for attempt to murder and under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on a complaint by Gannavaram Circle Inspector Kanaka Rao. The police official alleged that by provoking TDP workers, the accused tried to endanger his life.

The arrests were made when TDP leaders had gone to TDP office at Gannavaram after it was attacked by supporters of local MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi of ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

The attackers had set ablaze a car in the office premises and ransacked furniture.

The TDP has condemned the attack and the arrest of its leaders. The opposition party said that instead of taking action against the guilty, police have arrested its leaders who had gone to the office after learning about the attack.

Earlier, Pattabhiram's wife Chandana had threatened to sit on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Director General of Police's office to demand information about his whereabouts.

Several TDP leaders were placed under house arrest in the morning as the party had given a call for 'Chalo Gannavaram' to protest the attack on its office.