Black balloons flown during PM’ Modi\'s Andhra Pradesh visit

VIJAYAWADA: Congress leaders flew black balloons in the air, protesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to AP on Monday, near Gannavaram airport. State BJP president Somu Veeraraju expressed  concern over the "security lapse" when PM Modi along with state governor and chief minister left for Bhimavaram in a helicopter.

When the helicopter took off from the airport and was moving towards Bhimavaram, two Congress activists released balloons from an under-construction building at Kesarapalli village. Congress leaders Rajiv Ratan and Ravi Prakash climbed the building and released the black balloons. They said this was a protest against the non-fulfillment of the bifurcation assurances to AP.

Krishna district police said that the Congress leaders had given a nationwide call to oppose PM Modi by showing black balloons.

The district police had imposed Sec 30 and Sec 144 of the police act.

Before the PM's arrival, around 8:30 am, three persons namely Sunkara Padmashree, Parvathi and Kishore were seen walking towards the airport with black balloons. The police arrested the three.

Five minutes after PM took off from Gannavaram airport, two Congressmen protestd at Kesarapalli , 4.5km away from the airport. Of the two, Ravi Prakash has been taken into custody while Rajeev Ratan ran away.

BJP state president has demanded a detailed probe. He said he would file a complaint with the Union Home Minister over the security lapse.

In Nellore, Congress leaders held a protest at Indira Bhavan against the visit of the PM, and held black balloons in their hands.