Lokesh Faces Impediments Before Reaching Vijayawada

KAKINADA: Telugu Desam national general secretary Nara Lokesh had to protest for nearly six hours from Saturday morning before he could leave for Vijayawada to meet his father and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

When news of Chandrababu’s arrest reached him, Lokesh had been at his Yuva Galam Padayatra camp site at Podalada village in Razole mandal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. The TD general secretary tried to leave Podalada immediately for Vijayawada. But Razole police led by Kothapeta DSP K. Venkata Ramana did not allow him to move out of his camp site.

Lokesh condemned the police act and argued with the police officers, quoting the Constitution. The DSP told him that the situation is sensitive and they could not allow him to leave for the time being. The TD leader then started protesting holding the national flag.

Lokesh declared that AP DGP is being “stupid” in detaining him when he wanted to meet his father. He challenged police to first arrest MP Avinash Reddy, the accused in Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case.

Police tried to pacify Lokesh. But when he and other TD leaders tried to get into a car, police prevented them from doing so. They informed the TD leader that the law and order situation was not conducive for him to travel.

Finally, after nearly six hours, police let Lokesh leave for Vijayawada.

Kothapeta DSP Ramana told Deccan Chronicle that they did not allow Lokesh to leave initially for Vijayawada for security reasons. However, after the situation improved, they let the TD leader leave for Vijayawada to meet his father Chandrababu Naidu.