TDP chief detained amid protests

Visakhapatnam, February 27

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu was on Thursday taken into preventive custody at the airport here for his ‘safety’ as the ruling YSR Congress workers staged a protest opposing his visit, the police said.

Tension prevailed near the airport with the TDP workers repulsing the YSRC activists who tried to block Naidu’s convoy. A notice under Section 151 of the CrPC was served on Naidu and he was taken into preventive custody “because of his safety and security”, Visakhapatnam city Commissioner of Police Rajiv Kumar Meena said.

The Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly was sent back to the VIP lounge inside the airport here.

The TDP chief arrived here to visit Gopalapatnam and other areas near Visakhapatnam but the YSRC organised a protest opposing his visit. Calling him “Uttarandhra Drohi” (deceiver of north-coastal Andhra), the ruling party members tried to block the former chief minister’s convoy at the airport and squatted on the road. — PTI