Telangana BJP chief arrested, sent to judicial custody over protest in solidarity with teachers, govt employees

BJP's Telangana unit president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who was arrested on various charges, including violation of relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, was sent to judicial remand for 14 days following his arrest on Monday.

Karimnagar: BJP's Telangana unit president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, whose planned protest was foiled for alleged violation of COVID-19 guidelines, was sent to judicial remand for 14 days following his arrest on Monday.

He was arrested on various charges, including violation of relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act and disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant, police said.

One of the sections he was arrested under include Section 333 of IPC (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) which is non-bailable and triable by a sessions court.

He was produced before a local court on Monday afternoon.

Kumar, Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar, was taken into custody on Sunday night when he planned to undertake a 'jagarana' protest, a night vigil, in solidarity with teachers and other government employees against state government's Order (number 317).

The Order hurt the interests of the teachers and others vis-a-vis their transfers, he alleged.

Tension prevailed at the camp office of Kumar in Karimnagar on Sunday night when police forcibly entered the office breaking open the office gates in the face of resistance from BJP activists.

There was no official request for permission to the planned protest and the gathering of the party workers was against the guidelines issued by the Central and state governments to prevent the spread of COVID-19, police had said.

Saying that the protest was a peaceful event which was planned to be organised in accordance with COVID-19 norms, Sanjay Kumar found fault with the state government over the police action.

Why were the COVID-19 norms not implemented in the events of ruling TRS leaders, he asked.

PTI