The Srikakulam police on Wednesday night arrested senior Telugu Desam Party leader and former minister Kimidi Kala Venkat Rao in connection with the alleged attack on the car of YSR Congress party general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy at Ramatirtham in Vizianagaram district on January 2.
A large contingent of police went to the residence of Kala Venkat Rao at Rajam in Srikakulam district and took him into custody.
They did not inform him or his family members where he was being taken, but it is learnt he might be taken to Nellimarla police station in Vizianagaram district.
He is likely to be produced before the court for judicial remand on Thursday. A large number of TDP activists and leaders gathered at the residence of Kala Venkat Rao on coming to know that he was being arrested.
They raised slogans against the government and the police in protest against the arrest and demanded that he be released immediately. The police also gathered in big numbers to avoid any law-and-order breakdown.
The arrest of Kala Venkat Rao follows a complaint lodged by Sai Reddy with Nellimarala police station after a mob attacked his vehicle at Ramatirtham temple on January 2, to enquire into the vandalization of Lord Sri Rama idol at the temple.
The attack on Sai Reddy’s convoy happened hours before the visit of TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Sai Reddy alleged in the complaint that the attack was perpetrated by Chandrababu Naidu, TDP state unit president K Atchan Naidu and Kala Venkat Rao.
He said the mob attacked his vehicle with stones, water bottles and sharp-edge objects and he alleged that their intention is to kill him.
He requested police officials to take action against the people who attacked and damaged his vehicle.
