Mudragada Ends Kapu Fast, Alleges Police Excesses

Kapu community leader Mudragada Padmanabham called off his hunger strike today and alleged that the police had ill-treated him and his family members in a barbaric manner and had used filthy language against them.

Padmanabham, who looked very weak, said that the police treatment had been an affront right from the first day of his hunger strike when they entered his house forcibly by opening and damaging the doors. They also also been treating his wife, son, daughter-in-law and other family members very badly, he alleged, using expletives against them.

"They thrashed my son and used cuss words against my daughter-in-law," he said, his eyes turning moist. "And they bundled my wife, who endured three major surgeries, into a car in a cruel manner. They (police) treated me as if I was a terrorist, just for demanding that the Chief Minister fulfill the demands of the Kapu community for reservation. No political leader in the country would have been subject such grave insults as I was."

Padmanabham said that while he would not demand any action against the cops who resorted to excesses, he would not celebrate any festival till his demands were met. "Though they treated us badly, I will be happy if the government announces reservation for Kapus - else, I will continue my fight for getting reservation to our community," he said.

Later, Padmanabham and his wife Padmavathi left the Rajahmundry Government Hospital for his Kirlampudi residence in the morning and reached to a tumultuous welcome at around 11:15 am. Curiously, he left for Kirlampudi in a police van. He reportedly insisted that he be taken back in a police van. The police clamped prohibitory orders virtually all along the route. They took the whole route into their control and ensured that no rallies or gatherings took place en route.

Nothing is known about the health condition of the Kapu leader, though official sources said his condition was stable.

Earlier, Kapu JAC leader Thota Rajiv said that they were ready to cooperate with the government but were unable to trust it.