Aruna, Jupally arrested after supporters clash

Information and Public Relations Minister DK Aruna and former Endowments Minister Jupally Krishna Rao were taken into preventive custody by the Mahabubnagar police on Saturday at different places in the district to avert any possible clash between their supporters.

Mr Krishna Rao, who had resigned from the state Cabinet to fight for Telangana, was still under police custody at the time of filing this report while Ms Aruna was released on personal bond.

Earlier, the former minister refused to leave his car and go along with the police after he was informed that he was under arrest.

Mr Krishna’s followers entered into heated arguments with the police when he was about to be arrested. Meanwhile, Ms Aruna’s supporters also objected to Mr Krishna Rao’s presence in Gadwel, leading to a clash between them and the former minister’s supporters.

Tension escalated after the two groups resorted to pelting stones at each other.

The police decided to also place Ms Aruna under custody prevent further escalation of violence. Meanwhile, some activists pelted stones at Road Transport Corporation buses, damaging three vehicles.

Saturday’s events are seen as a result of Ms Aruna’s objection to Mr Krishna Rao’s padayatra, which had been going on since the past three weeks, in her constituency Gadwel in the district.

Ms Aruna had earlier on May 18 categorically opposed the padayatra of Mr Krishna Rao in her constituency, saying that it was a means to help the former Endowments Minister build his base in the district.

She took exception to Mr Krishna Rao touring in her Gadwel constituency, saying that his padayatra in the constituency was undermining her importance.

 Mr Krishna Rao had disregarded her objection and was about to enter Gadwel constituency when he was arrested by the police this morning. Mr Krishna Rao was shifted to Pebberu police station.

However, the police also arrested Ms Aruna in Tummalapalli village to avert any between the supporters of the two MLAs. She was shifted to Dharur police station.

Incidentally, Mr Krishna Rao represents the Kollapur constituency in the same district. He had quit as Endowments Minister over the Telangana issue and as reported earlier, he undertook the yatra to demonstrate his support for separate statehood demand.

His resignation letter is yet to be cleared by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Ms Aruna had complained to Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy to restrain Mr Krishna Rao from going ahead with his padayatra. However, Mr Krishna Rao had maintained that he was not undermining her importance and had sought police protection of this padayatra.

According to sources, Ms Aruna will take out her own padayatra next month.