Hyderabad: In a significant development concerning the Vikarabad violence, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former minister Patnam Narender Reddy was arrested by the police on Wednesday, November 13.
Earlier in the day, Reddy was detained from his residence in Film Nagar here.
The development comes amidst allegations against the BRS leader’s involvement in the attack on Vikarabad district collector Prateek Jain and other government officials during a public hearing on a proposed pharma unit in Lagcherla village.
However, the Vikarabad district collector Prateek Jain has categorically denied allegations of attack by villagers who were protesting. The collector visited Kondagal where he held talks with the protesting farmers who had apprehensions over the Pharma City project. “Some mischief elements conspired and created trouble. I was not attacked or manhandled,” Jain told reporters.
I was not attacked by farmers: Vikarabad collector clarifies rumours
Police also identified a person, Suresh, who allegedly incited villagers to attack the government officials. Suresh is believed to be a close associate of Patnam Narender Reddy.
Reddy will be produced before the court after a medical examination.
The previous night, 16 farmers were reportedly remanded by a local court.
16 farmers remanded for attacking Vikarabad collector amid protests
‘Undemocratic’, says KTR
Meanwhile BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Wednesday lamented the detention of Reddy and alleged that the Congress-run state government is conspiring to frame BRS. “The government is undemocratically suppressing the protest in Langacharla village, Vikarabad,” he remarked.
The former IT minister said that Patnam Narender Reddy is being threatened with illegal arrest for voicing the people’s concerns. He said that the BRS has seen detentions in the past and is used to such tactics since the launch of the Telangana movement.
The Sircilla MLA called for immediate release of detainees including the former MLA and farmers.
