Former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy was arrested on Wednesday by Vikarabad police in connection with the attack on district collector and other government officials at Lagcherla village in Kodangal constituency.

The police have alleged that the prime suspect, B Suresh Raj was a follower of the arrested MLA, who had instigated the attack on the officials. The farmers were protesting against the proposed pharma company for which land was being acquired in chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s own constituency, Kodangal.

Patnam Narender Reddy was arrested by police while he was out at KBR Park for morning walk. He was then taken to Parigi police station in Vikarabad. Police had initially detained 55 people in connection with the attack on officials. It has now arrested 16 farmers while Suresh, who was designated as accused number one and another 30 people, were on the run.

Condemning the arrest of Patnam Narender Reddy, BRS working president KT Rama Rao alleged this was a conspiracy to blame the BRS when people in the chief minister’s own constituency were up in arms. “This wretched government was arresting people even when activists were speaking to people’s representatives. Undemocratic measures are being taken to put down the people’s rebellion at Lagcherla,” said Rao.

He called for the release of the former MLA and the farmers who have been detained.
Meanwhile, BJP MP DK Aruna was stopped by police from going to Lagcharla village. Her vehicle was stopped at Manneguda. Aruna was upset that she was stopped by police even as chief minister’s brother A Tirupati Reddy was allowed to proceed to Kodangal. She questioned why police allowed him even though he was not even a ward member but stopped her.

In the meantime, several Telangana BJP MPs have denied that KT Rama Rao had met Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal in Delhi. According to them he didn’t get an appointment from the Union minister. Congress had alleged that Rao had fled to Delhi and sought to hold parleys with BJP leaders after the government sought the Governor’s approval to proceed against him in connection with the Formula E race case.

BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy counter alleged that Rao had met Congress leaders in Delhi to seek immunity from arrest.