West Godavari (Andhra Pradesh): Congress leader Rajeev Ratan who had absconded, after releasing black balloons in the vicinity of Gannavaram airport on July 4, surrendered to the city police on Thursday. Ratan had released black balloons in the vicinity of the Gannavaram airport on the day of PM Modi's visit.
The police had been on the lookout for the run-away fugitive for nearly three days. The Congress leader finally surrendered before the police on July 7. On the day of the PM's visit to Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, Congress leaders staged protests at several places. They protested by flying black balloons in the vicinity of the airport.
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Black balloons were released into the air as the helicopter in which PM Modi was seated in took off. Krishna district police had issued lookout notices against Congress leader Rajeev Ratan saying that the entire incident was being taken very seriously.
The police have registered a case under IPC sections 353, 341, 188 and 145 against the accused along with Rajiv and four others. Police officials explained that the balloons arrived five minutes after Modi's helicopter left. It was found that the balloons were launched from Surampally, which is 4.5 kilometres from the airport.
