In the sixth phase of his Amarula Sphoorti Yatra to invoke the spirit of sacrifices made in separate Telangana movement, the chairman of Telangana Joint Action Committee M. Kodandaram and several of his colleagues were arrested by police on Saturday at various places.
Mr. Kodandaram and four others were arrested at Medipally on city outskirts at 11.30 a.m. and driven to Adibhatla police station at Ghatkesar. They were detained till 7 p.m. and later dropped at Mr. Kodandaram’s house.
The JAC chairman and others were proceeding to Jangaon and Warangal districts to take up the yatra, but the police intercepted their vehicles as the programme did not have permission. Earlier, Mr. Kodandaram met Home Minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy at the Minister’s quarters seeking permission but he did not get a positive response. Yet, he decided to go ahead unmindful of hurdles likely to be created.
The police also picked up T-JAC activists from their houses in Jangaon and surrounding villages since early hours. Mr. Kodandaram said the police had not resorted to such excesses in the earlier phases of the yatra since it was launched in late June. No one was even allowed to meet them.