Andhra Pradesh: Tadipatri MLA held after trading charges with transporters

Hyderabad: Tadipatri MLA JC Prabhakar Reddy was taken into preventive custody for some time on Tuesday by West Zone police as tension prevailed at Khairtabad RTA office amid scenes of challenges and counter-challenges between him and TRS MLA V. Srinivas Goud. Panjagutta police first shifted Prabhakar Reddy to the Gosha Mahal Stadium. He was released after the situation was brought under control at the RTA office.

Srinivas Goud had made some allegations in the assembly against private bus operators violating rules, saying this was resulting in huge losses to the state-run RTC. A majority of the private buses were plying without permits and having more than the number of seats allowed in the permit, he had said. Prabhakar Reddy then challenged the MLA to come for a discussion on the matter at the RTA office on Tuesday. Goud accepted his challenge and made a counter-charge that Reddy was the owner and accused in the Palem bus incident which claimed 46 lives.

As was decided earlier, Goud arrived at the RTA office by 9am and was waiting for Reddy to arrive. Meanwhile, West Zone police deployed additional forces there, in view of past experiences with Prabhakar Reddy.

During the time of the previous Congress government, he had abused the then RTA additional commissioner C.L.N. Gandhi and commissioner J. Raymond Peter. Besides, civil police, striking forces from the Task Force and Armed Reserve forces were deployed at the entrance to the RTA office.

Amid tension, policeearlier arrested Reddy when he reached the Khairtabad transport office at around 11.20am and shifted him to Goshamahal Stadium.