Police foil Ravindra's bid to stage hunger stir over sand in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Police foiled the attempt of former minister Kollu Ravindra to hold 36-hour hunger strike on sand shortage in Machilipatnam town on Friday. They arrested him and his followers after obstructing them from staging the protest. They also placed under house arrest former MP Konakalla Narayana, MLC B Arjunudu and several TDP leaders.

Tension prevailed for some time in the town following the arrests of TDP leaders. Ravindra reached the town centre along with the leaders of the party to observe 36 hours hunger strike. But the police arrested them and shifted the former minister to his residence.

On the occasion, Kollu Ravindra said that the police were suppressing the rights of people. He said that he wants to observe a hunger strike in the model of Mahatma Gandhi peacefully. But the state government was behaving in an undemocratic manner, he lamented.

He said that he would continue the protest at his residence though the police created hurdles. He said that the lakhs of building workers were facing difficulties for their livelihood. The state government failed to formulate and implement an effective sand policy, he said. "The leaders of YSR Congress have created an artificial sand scarcity for their benefit," he alleged.