Section of police harassing opposition leaders in Andhra: TDP

Amaravati, Aug 31 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Monday alleged that Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSRCP has introduced "police raj" in the state and that a section of police are only harassing opposition leaders.

"It appears that the ruling YSRCP-induced police raj has replaced democratic government in AP. A section of police are harassing opposition leaders, along with the general public, against the backdrop of any iota of dissent against the government," Naidu in a letter to Director General of Police Gautam Sawang.

He alleged that police are "executing mid-night arrests of innocent people for voicing dissent, illegally placing opposition leaders under house arrest, detaining or harassing them will false cases for peacefully protesting anti-people policies" and others.

Citing the case of TDP leader from West Godavari district and former MLA Chintamaneni Prabakar, Naidu asked what was the need to arrest him under a range of charges as he only protested the high fuel prices and submitted a representation to the local tehsildar.

He also alleged that Prabakar was picked up while attending a wedding function in Visakhapatnam.

"What is the need to arrest an opposition party leader and former MLA in such an unscrupulous manner? Is it wrong to give representation to government over problems being faced by the people in order to bring the same to the notice of the government?" he asked.

He claimed that the state is allegedly witnessing murders and rapes on a daily basis "as police are ignoring law and order and singularly focusing on filing false complaints against TDP leaders".

He noted people of the state are seeing "the high-handedness and undemocratic actions", and the "present style of police functioning will remain a black mark" on it.

"It is hoped that at least now, police would focus on controlling crime (murders, rapes, etc), instead of harassing opposition TDP leaders," he added.