Protests continue for Andhra legislator's arrest

Revenue department employees in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district continued their protest for a second day on Friday demanding arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator Chintamaneni Prabhakar and his followers for allegedly manhandling a woman officer.

The protesting employees refuse to budge from their stand even as Irrigation Minister D. Umamaheswar Rao held talks with them in an attempt to pacify them.

Revenue offices in the district remained closed as the employees boycotted their duties and staged sit-in at the sub-collector's office in Vijayawada. They made it clear that they will not call of the protest till action is taken against the guilty.

Employees' leader Venkateshwarlu told reporters that they are sticking to their demand for the arrest of the legislator. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is likely to hold talks with the employees' leaders on Monday.

Umamaheswar Rao said collectors and superintendents of police of Krishna and West Godavari districts were directed to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report.

Prabhakar's supporters on Wednesday manhandled D. Vanajakshi, tahsildar of Musunuru mandal in Krishna district, when she was trying to stop illegal sand mining on the border between Krishna and West Godavari districts.

The followers of Prabhakar, a legislator from Dendulur in West Godavari district, bodily lifted Vanjakshi when she lay before a tractor to stop it from illegally transporting the sand. The legislator was present near the spot and it was on his orders that his followers including both men and women bodily lifted the woman officer.

Police began investigations on a complaint by the officer.

The state human rights commission on Thursday took suo moto note of the incident and directed chief secretary, Krishna district collector and superintendent of police to submit report on the incidents by August 13.