Former Zilla Parishad member and YSR Congress Party activist Padala Venkatarami Reddy and four others were arrested by the police today on alleged charges of attacking public servants during a public hearing on the proposed 100-MW coal-based thermal plant to be set up at Bikkovolu mandal. Reddy was arrested in Peddapuram of East Godavari district today, and produced before the Anaparthy magistrate’s court. The court directed him to 15 days’ judicial remand and sent him to the Ramachandrapuram Sub-jail, said Ramachandrapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (repeat) Ramachandrapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police Srinivas told PTI here tonight. Along with his other accomplices, Reddy went to the thermal plant site where a public hearing was on, and allegedly attacked district collector Neetu Kumari Prasad, besides revenue officials, police officials and the public with stones and other objects. One revenue official and other people received injuries, forcing the collector to postpone the ‘public hearing’ due to the unruly situation. The police registered a case against Reddy on January 6, for which he was arrested today on charges of attacking public servants and disrupting the public hearing. Two days ago, some people who are against the thermal plant being set up, had attacked the public who had arrived to at the site to attend an awareness programme held to clear doubts if it would cause air and water pollution or create health problems. Allegedly, some people attacked the public, damaged buses and caused injuries to a Deputy Superintendent of Police, forcing his gunman to fire three rounds in the air, in self-defence, when the situation went out of control. PTI
