Kirlampudi residents in grip of panic

Rajamahendravaram: What will happen in Kirlampudi village on Thursday is the burning issue in East Godavari district and across the state, mainly among Kapu community. The villagers are in the grip of fear as police again sounded alert in the village. Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham is again planning to commence his padayatra to Amaravati on Thursday as his week-long house arrest ends on the same day.

Earlier, the police have foiled the bid of Mudragada Padmanabham’s proposed padayatra on July 26 and kept him under house arrest. Then Mudragada announced that he will continue his padayatra from August 3. As usual, the police sounded alert in Kirlampudi village to foil his padayatra.

At the same time, Kapu leaders and youth are very much particular to start padayatra on August 3. Meanwhile, Section 144 and Police Act 30 was in force across the district and thousands of police are deployed as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in the village.

Rapid Action Force, AP Special Police, Civil Police wings intensified their security cordon and checkposts came into live again in the village. As Mudragada was confined to house arrest since July 26, the Kapu JAC organised a series of protests across the State in various forms expressing solidarity with their leader.

The JAC leaders questioned how many days the government continue the police force in Kirlampudi and across the district. The dictatorial attitude of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is hurting the feelings of Kapu community, which cannot be excused, they felt. The leaders say Naidu used Kapu community as vote bank, came to power in the State and following use and throw policy now.