Tension as police arrest Vangaveeti Radhakrishna

Vijayawada: Tension prevailed in the city for some time when the police arrested former MLA and YSRCP leader Vangaveeti Radhakrishna. After one- hour long high drama on the main road at Mogulrajapuram here in the evening on Sunday near Radhakrishna’s residence, he was taken into custody suspecting attack on YSRCP leader and Central constituency in-charge P Goutam Reddy.

Highlights:

• Police foils alleged attack between YSR Congress leaders
• Scuffle ensues between Radhakrishna, his followers and cops

The police took Radhakrishna into custody, along with his followers, when he was proceeding to organise a press meet at the YSR Congress Party office near party Central constituency in-charge P Goutam Reddy’s residence at Satyanarayanapuram after his controversial comments against the late Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga in a vernacular news channel. It is said to be internal rivalry between the YSR Congress Party leaders.

It is learnt that the promo of Gowtham Reddy’s interview was telecast in a news channel and it went viral in the social media. In this backdrop, Vangaveeti Radhakrishna Krishna started from his house to conduct a press meet to react on the statement. But the police suspected that the followers of Radhakrishna would attack Goutam Reddy and it would lead to law and order problem.

Hence, the police suggested him to conduct the press meet at his residence instead of going to elsewhere, including the party office. But Radhakrishna refused the proposal and made an attempt to go to the party office. It led to a scuffle between Radhakrishna, his followers and police.

Vangaveeti Radhakrishna’s mother Ratna Kumari also reached the spot for supporting his son. She, too, had a heated argument with police.At once stage the police tried to forcibly shift him by taking him into custody. In the melee, both Radhakrishna and Ratna Kumari fell on the road.

On receiving information, the followers of Vangaveeti Radhakrishna reached the spot and raised slogans against police. But the police controlled the situation by taking Radhakrishna, his mother and his followers into custody. Besides, the police provided security at Goutam Reddy’s residence.

Actually, Vangaveeti family members represented the Central constituency in the past. But in the last Assembly elections, Radhakrishna voluntarily shifted from this constituency to East constituency. Later, Gowtham Reddy has been continuing as constituency in-charge.