Tension prevailed at the residence of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham at Kirlampudi on Friday, when he expressed his resentment over the police for not letting him out of his house.
“You are forcing me to scale the compound wall and launch the padayatra one day,” he told the police. Subsequently, Mr. Padmanabham launched an agitation in front of his house, for which people who gathered there to visit him extended their support. The police got alerted and increased the security cover, on the suspicion of the situation turning violent. Like every day, Mr. Padmanabham came out of his house around 10 a.m. and greeted the public outside. As he was doing daily, he announced the launch of padayatra and the very next moment, the police swung into action and prevented him from moving ahead. Irked by this development, he picked up an argument with the police and called upon the Kapus to express their resentment over the curbs imposed by the government for a movement that was intended to benefit the caste. The gathering raised slogans against the government and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu before undertaking their daily routine.