AP Capital row: Clashes break out as cops prevent women's march to shrine

The row over the Andhra Pradesh government's three-capital proposal took a violent turn on Friday as clashes broke out between police and villagers after the women were stopped from marching to a temple.

Amaravati (AP): A tense situation prevailed in the Amaravati region on Friday after clashes broke out between the police and villagers in Tulluru village, after cops prevented women from taking out a 'pada yatra' from Uddandarayunipalem village to a temple in Vijayawada to offer special prayers for retaining Amaravati as the capital.

Police cited orders under Section 144 Cr PC (banning assembly of more than four people) and Section 30 of Indian Police Act in the area for preventing the foot march.

The women cooked sweet 'pongal' (sweet rice) as an offering to Goddess Kanaka Durga, the presiding deity of Vijayawada, seeking her blessings for Amaravati.

The police said that no permission had been given for a march to the villagers, which is why they had blocked the roads.

The police also said that they had detained some people who were trying to move towards the shrine despite restrictions.

Read: YSRC MLA's car pelted in Amravati, farmers continue protest against move to shift capital

The BJP condemned the police action on the women and said it amounted to interference with religious beliefs.

"This is nothing but the government's attack on Hindu faith. The police personnel who manhandled women should be suspended from service forthwith," BJP spokesman K Saikrishna demanded.

Guntur Rural Superintendent of Police Ch Vijaya Rao said in a statement that they had not manhandled any women.

Some TDP leaders and women were taken into custody as they sought to take out rallies in parts of Andhra Pradesh demanding that Amaravati be retained as the State's capital.

Read: TDP's Nara Lokesh placed under house arrest at his residence in Undavalli

Reports from Vijayawada, Guntur and the Amaravati region said police allegedly manhandled women and forcibly dumped them into vans, to be driven away to police stations.

The National Commission for Women, responding to tweets by local farmers, said it was taking on its own cognizance of the incidents.

Commission Chairperson Rekha Sharma tweeted that a fact-finding team of NCW was being sent to Amaravati to inquire into the incidents.

Police took TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh and state unit president K Kala Venkata Rao into custody at the Kaja toll plaza on NH-16 when they were proceeding towards Amaravati from Ongole to console the family of a farmer who died of heart attack.

Read: TDP MLAs lead 'silent' protest against Naidu's arrest

TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu took to the streets again on Friday, in Rajamahendravaram, and sought alms from traders and people for the movement in support of Amaravati as the state capital.

Police sealed a private function hall in Vijayawada that was being used as the office of the 'Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti.'

They took local MP Kesineni Srinivas into custody when he protested before a police action.

Police in Vijayawada city allegedly took several women, who were walking on the MG Road, into custody and pushed them forcibly into police vans.

"We came here for shopping and have no connection whatsoever with any protests. We don't know why we are taken into custody," a couple of women said, breaking into tears.

Those who came to take part in a rally in support of the agitating farmers of Amaravati also faced police action.

Read: TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu released after brief detention for 'bus yatra' attempt

As the police foiled the rally, women squatted on the road and asked why they were being harassed.

"Our clothes were torn as we were dragged on the road. We are here peacefully to take part in a rally for Amaravati but police have used brutal force against us," an elderly woman told reporters near the AIR station.

"The male police personnel manhandled us and behaved in a bizarre fashion," she claimed.

In Tulluru village, police allegedly prevented even those women heading for work.

The Telugu Desam Party alleged that police not only manhandled women protestors but also abused them in filthy language.

The Guntur Rural Superintendent of Police said they would take legal action against those circulating fake videos and pictures, alleging police atrocities on women.

"The police did not attack anybody or resort to lathi-charge. Also, only women constables were used against women protesters," the SP claimed.

Read: Chandrababu Naidu seeks people's support to protest against 3-capital proposal