The Andhra Pradesh police are said to be mulling the options of arresting Telugu Desam Party president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly provoking violence by the TDP workers at Punganur in Chittoor district on Friday.
Sources said top police officials were examining the video footage of Naidu’s speeches at Punganur and the other meeting venues before that like Angallu and Mulakalacheruvu.
Anantapuram range DIG R N Ammireddy and district superintendent of police Y Rishant Reddy told reporters on Saturday that it was because of Naidu’s provocative speeches that the violence escalated, causing serious injuries to policemen.
They said at Punganur, Naidu had instigated the TDP cadres to attack the YSRCP workers and police. He even insulted DSP by making derogatory statements against him. The TDP workers against pelted stones at YSRCP cadres, injuring several of them.
One of the videos showed Naidu saying that the YSRCP workers had protested during my visit here using black flags.
“I’m warning you; we too can come out on streets with sticks. We’ll be ready to attack you back with our rowdism," the TDP chief was seen saying.
The top police officials said as many as 50 people were arrested for indulging in stone pelting and arson during Naidu’s tour in Chittoor district.
Also, 200 others involved in the riots are likely to be arrested as police are watching the footage to identify those who indulged in the violence.
At least 20 police personnel and several supporters of the opposition TDP as well as the ruling YSRCP were injured in stone pelting and arson during Chandrababu Naidu’s tour of the district on Friday.
“We have video footage and are expecting to pick up another 150 to 200 people. We have also brought extra forces, 300 police personnel, from within the district and Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) and deployed them across the district,” Rishant Reddy said.
“We have picked up all the persons who have assaulted police personnel, including women police personnel with stones, beer bottles, sticks and other objects,” he added.
However, he said the situation is under control now and there is no need to invoke Section 144 of the CrPC.