Revanth freed after pre-dawn detention

​Hyderabad: In a pre-dawn swoop, police detained Telangana Congress Working president A Revanth Reddy ahead of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's election rally in Kosigi in Kodangal constituency on Tuesday. Police said he was taken into preventive custody from his residence at Kodangal at 3 am to prevent any untoward incidents during Rao's rally in Kosgi.

The police, later in the evening, set him free after the Hyderabad High Court's intervention.Reddy, who quit the Telugu Desam Party to join the Congress earlier this year, represented Kodangal in the dissolved Assembly. His detention came in view of Reddy's threat to disrupt the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief's rally. He had called for a shutdown to protest police raids at his house last week. The Election Commission had also issued a notice to Reddy over his threat. Police registered a case against Revanth Reddy on a complaint by the Electoral Officer. Tension prevailed in Kodangal following Reddy's detention. The police imposed prohibitory orders in the town to prevent breakdown of law and order.

The drama began when the police forced their way into Revanth Reddy's house in Kodangal. After deploying additional forces around his house which closed all roads that led to his house, a team of policemen entered his house and then barged in by forcibly opening the doors of the bedroom.

When the police raid took place, Revanth, his wife Geetha and their daughter were in the house. Along with them Revanth’s brother Kondal Reddy and other three brothers, and his friends were also present in the house. Along with Revanth his family members were shocked with the behaviour of the police. They found the police in large numbers with guns in their hands and bodily lifted him from there.

Revanth’s wife, while shooting the entire incident with her mobile, asked the police officials why they came to their bedroom and broke the doors. The police did not reply and tried to lift Revanth from his house. Then a heated argument occurred between policemen and Revanth. Then they took him away forcibly. The police also arrested his brothers and his 15 associates. Later they said prohibitory orders under Section 144 were in force in Kodangal. Then he was taken to Jadcherla where he was detained.

Preventive arrest of Revanth Reddy spread like wildfire across the state and his supporters started reaching his house in large numbers. Even their family members, including his wife did not know where he was taken. Senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad called on Revanth’s wife Geetha and extended his support to her by saying party and all the Congress leaders stand with them and fight for justice.

Revanth's wife Geetha strongly condemned the arrest and termed it as undemocratic. She alleged that police under the pressure of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao were acting illegally and creating panic among the opposition leaders and public. She questioned police and TRS leaders as to whether there was dictatorship prevailing in Telangana.

She alleged that by colluding with Central government, caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was threatening the opposition leaders and trying to get political benefits in the elections. She urged the Telangana voters and Kodangal voters to teach them a lesson in the elections by voting against TRS and its supporters. She urged the State Election Commission to work impartially and said if they work under pressure of somebody then the ultimate losers will be democracy and people. Later she lodged a complaint with the Returning Officer.