Kapu patriarch Mudragada Padmanabham who launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding reservation to his community and release of those persons booked in the Tuni train burning case, was arrested by the police on Thursday evening.
Thousands of Kapu community people who reached the village to express solidarity with their leader, put up a lot of resistance to the arrest of Mudragada and obstructed the police when he was being shifted in an ambulance. Police resorted to lathi charge on the supporters of Mudragada.
Padmanabham was earlier threatened that he would consume pesticide and commit suicide if the police try to arrest him. He demanded the police to show him proper arrest warrant from the CB-CID as the cases against him were under its purview and not the regular police.
With great efforts, CID police entered his residence and took him into custody. Mudragada’s wife Padmavathi who was also sitting with him on Deeksha was however, not taken into custody.
It may be mentioned here that Mudragada is accused number one in various cases related to the Tuni train burning incident. He is likely to be presented before a magistrate in due procedure.(NSS)