Drug mafia allegations: Kakinada cops slap notice on TDP leader Narendra

Kakinada: The Kakinada I Town police issued notice to former TDP MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar for linking drug smuggling to Kakinada port and Andhra Pradesh government. They asked him to provide any evidence in his possession in support of his allegations. Police served the notice at Narendra Kumar's house at Chintalapudi under Ponnur mandal in Guntur district.

Earlier, Narendra in a press conference, expressed suspicions that there were drugs on the boat that was burnt at Kakinada Port. However, police strongly objected to the remarks, and notices were given asking him to give evidence.

Eluru range DIG K V Mohan Rao in a press conference here on Friday said there is no connection between drug seizure in Mundra Port, Gujarat and Kakinada. He asserted that no incidents pertaining to drug cases occurred at Kakinada.

As per the directions of the director general of police (DGP) Gautam D Sawang, the DIG Mohan Rao came to Kakinada and inspected the place where the boat was burnt along with DSP M Ravindranath Babu and other officials. He also inspected the surrounding areas and elicited information about the owner of the boat as well as the fishermen regarding the cause of the boat mishap.

DIG Mohan Rao, after his enquiries, stated that boat caught fire due to electric short circuit during the trial run on September 16. He said the boat was owned by Palepu Jaya Prakash and boat Chintada Gangadhar and boat crew were also on board the boat but no casualties were reported.

The DIG said soon after the news of the mishap was reported, Kakinada DSP rushed to the spot. Locals, fishermen and fire personnel brought the fire under control. One Malladi Gangadhar on the boat sustained minor burn injuries. He said that the same information given by the boat driver Chintada Gangadhar in writing to the police.

SP M Ravindranath Babu said that after 20 days of the incident, former MLA Narendra Kumar alleged that during the fire mishap on the boat, a peculiar smell emanated along with white smoke. "The former MLA alleged that a fisherman had also died in the mishap to which there were eye witnesses," he added.

The DIG said Narendra Kumar made the false allegations only to create tension and misapprehensions among the people. He said Kakinada I Town police issued a notice to the former MLA asking for facts and proofs in support of his statements within a week.

Meanwhile, SP Ravindranath Babu said Kakinada Sea Port Limited(KSPL) general manager Jacob Satyaraj lodged a complaint with police stating that former home minister and Peddapuram MLA Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, former MLAs Vanmadi Venkateswar Rao (Kondababu), Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy, TDP leaders Jyothula Naveen, Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram and other leaders entered the port on October 6 and held a press conference without the permission of the authorities.

He said that the I Town police station Inspector has been appointed as investigating officer to probe into the complaint.