11 civil liberties activists arrested
Oct 10 2014 : The Times of India (Hyderabad)
In yet another instance of alleged police highhandedness, 11 civil rights activists were allegedly taken into “illegal” police custody in the city on Thursday.While six of them were arrested by the Dwarakanagar zone cops when they were trying to hold a press conference at the Civil Library to announce their anti Operation Green Hunt meeting to be held in the city on October 12, the remaining five were forcibly arrested by the Three Town police when they were returning from the Visakha Range DIG’s camp office after making attempts to bring the arrests of their colleagues to the DIG’s notice.
Those arrested at the Civil Library were identified as Visakha District Civil Liberties Committee president T Srirammurthy, anti-privatisation committee member PV Ramana, fishermen community leader and advocate KS Chalam, Stree Shakti activist B Lalitha, Indian Athiests’ Association members S Ramaraju and Nooka Raju. The Organi sation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) state secretary C Bhaskara Rao along with civil liberties activists N Srimannarayana, Gudimell Raghuram, Surla Venkata Ramana and advocate Palleti Appa Rao were taken into custody outside the DIG camp office.
The cops closed the main entrance of the library and refused to allow the media inside despite flashing their identity cards. They then took the activists into custody one by one as they reached the library. As per the press conference agenda, the activists were to release a poster and logo of the meeting. Justifying the arrest, Dwarakanagar zone police station inspector Narasimaha Rao told mediapersons that as section 30 was under implementation, no meeting could be conducted in the area and the activists were supporting the banned outfit.
Speaking to mediapersons at the DIG camp office, OPDR secretary C Bhaskara Rao termed the arrests an attempt by the government to oppress civil society. ,” he said.
Those arrested at the Civil Library were identified as Visakha District Civil Liberties Committee president T Srirammurthy, anti-privatisation committee member PV Ramana, fishermen community leader and advocate KS Chalam, Stree Shakti activist B Lalitha, Indian Athiests’ Association members S Ramaraju and Nooka Raju. The Organi sation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) state secretary C Bhaskara Rao along with civil liberties activists N Srimannarayana, Gudimell Raghuram, Surla Venkata Ramana and advocate Palleti Appa Rao were taken into custody outside the DIG camp office.
The cops closed the main entrance of the library and refused to allow the media inside despite flashing their identity cards. They then took the activists into custody one by one as they reached the library. As per the press conference agenda, the activists were to release a poster and logo of the meeting. Justifying the arrest, Dwarakanagar zone police station inspector Narasimaha Rao told mediapersons that as section 30 was under implementation, no meeting could be conducted in the area and the activists were supporting the banned outfit.
Speaking to mediapersons at the DIG camp office, OPDR secretary C Bhaskara Rao termed the arrests an attempt by the government to oppress civil society. ,” he said.
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