In its continuing crackdown on social media activists of YSR Congress Party, Andhra Pradesh police have issued look-out notices against Sajjala Bhargava Reddy, the son of senior party leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, and another social media activist.
Police in Pulivendula town of Kadapa district had registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Bhargava Reddy, and social media activists Varra Ravindra Reddy and Arjun Reddy.
While Ravindra Reddy is already in custody in connection with other cases against him, the police issued look-out notices against Bhargava Reddy and Arjun Reddy due to apprehension that they may leave the country. Police have formed special teams to arrest them.
The case was registered on November 8 following a complaint by Hari, a resident of Simhadripuram Mandal in the Pulivendula Assembly segment, alleging that the YSRCP social media activists abused him on social media based on his caste.
He also mentioned that the YSRCP posted derogatory comments on social media targeting leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) and their families over the past five years.
This is the latest in a series of cases registered against YSRCP social media activists and supporters for making derogatory posts against the TDP and the JSP leaders when the YSRCP was in power.
Meanwhile, YSRCP President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday assured Inturi Sujana, wife of arrested social media activist Inturi Ravi Kiran, that the party will stand by the family.
She told media persons after meeting Jagan Mohan Reddy that her husband was taken into custody on October 21 and since then police have been harassing him.
"They have been moving him from one police station to the other in quick succession and his name is being added to any case that is being registered against YSRCP social media activists," she said.
Sujana alleged that her husband was ill-treated by police and his signature and thumb impressions were taken on blank papers. In all nine cases were registered against him, she said. She said she would file a private case against those who have been harassing her husband.
Reiterating its stand that police should work within the legal framework, the YSRCP has assured its social media activists of all legal aid.
Meanwhile, a team of YSRCP leaders visited Guntur jail to meet social media activists who were in jail. The team, comprising former ministers Ambati Rambabu, Perni Nani, MLC Lella Appi Reddy, and Guntur Mayor K. Manohar Naidu, asked why Varra Ravindra Reddy was arrested at night.
The team, which met social media activists M. Venkatrami Reddy, K. Harikrishna Reddy and P. Chaitanya, said that police were acting at the behest of TDP bosses.
After the coalition government was formed, the TDP has been posting highly derogatory material targeting Jagan Mohan Reddy and his family and despite lodging complaints, no action was taken against them, they said.