Police foil AgriGold victims fast

• The association demands that the government speed up the auction of properties of AgriGold and pay Rs 1,000 crore to the depositors in advance
• Police disconnect the power supply to the Dharna Chowk and forcibly take away the fasting leaders and their supporters in the morning

Vijayawada: The city police on Saturday foiled the indefinite fast launched by AgriGold Depositors and Agents Welfare Association at the Dharna Chowk demanding the government to concede their demands.

Association honorary president Muppalla Nageswara Rao, president B Viswanatha Reddy and secretary V Tirupati Rao began relay fast at Dharna Chowk on Friday demanding that the government speed up the auction of properties of AgriGold and pay Rs 1,000 crore to the depositors in advance. 

But, in less than 24 hours, the city police foiled the indefinite fast. The city police disconnected the power supply to the Dharna Chowk and forcibly took away the fasting leaders and their supporters. 

The fasting leaders were lifted to the Government hospital about 3.30 am. The police arrested dozens of AgriGold customers and agents, who were participating in the dharna and shifted to the police stations in Kankipadu, Vuyyur, Pamidimukkala and Ajit Singh Nagar. 

The angry agents and customers staged a dharna at the GGH protesting against the action of police. CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna, CPI district secretary A Vanaja, MlC Katti Narsimha Reddy and others visited the Government hospital and expressed their solidarity with the fasting leaders. 

Condeming the police action, K Ramakrishna alleged the police and the government were treating the Opposition leaders as terrorists. He questioned why the police had arrested the victims of AgriGold in the early hours.

He demanded that the government should speed up the auction of AgriGold properties as lakhs of depositors had been waiting for the justice. He said the government could pay Rs 1,000 crore to the depositors as advance and could take the money after the sale of properties in auction.

Association president B Viswanadha Reddy and secretary V Tirupati Rao condemned the foiling of indefinite strike by the police and vowed to fight till the victims get justice.