Hero’s welcome

Crowds go hysterical as Jagan walks out of jail

Hyderabad: The YSR congress party president, YS Jaganmohan Reddy received a tumultuous welcome by the party men, faithfully and loyalists as he finally walked out of the Chanchalguda jail at 3.50 p.m on Tuesday. It took almost 24 hours to comply with the formalities to secure the release order from the CBI court which granted him conditional bail. Even after his release his family had a six-hour long wait to receive him at his Lotus Pond residence. Emotional scenes marked his reunion with his family.

Amid high security, he came out of the jail with folded hands and stepped into a bullet proof vehicle as the frenzied crowd that waited for his release right from the morning indulged in loud cheer and sloganeering. The rousing reception accorded to him was unusual of a context of this kind. His supporters set free white pigeons as a mark of Jagan’s release after 16 months of confinement in connection with his disproportionate assets case.

Clad in light blue, Jagan greeted his supporters with his signature ‘namaste’. He often waved his hands at the crowds. Police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to control the crowd. The party MPs and MLAs and others were also present at jail and greeted him from a distance. The convoy then moved at snail’s pace and at many key junctions -- Chanchalguda, Malakpet, Mozamjahi market, Khairatabad, Jagan's fans have assembled in thousands on their bikes either leading the convoy of the party leader or following it.

At some places, Jagan opened the door of his bullet proof vehicle to reach out to the follower stretching their hands to shake hands and to say a hello. It took more than six hours for Jagan to reach home. On the other hand, police have arranged full security all over the road en route Lotus Pond, where Jagan was heading straight from the prison. Police have sealed many roads and diverted vehicular traffic at some points.

Vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt at main junctions in the city when Jagan’s convoy was moving on the busy roads. He even got down from the car at some points and greeted people. Jagan’s supporters had to fight hard to have a glimpse of Jagan as police obstructed them from reaching the convoy. Soon after Jagan was released, party senior leaders including S V Subba Reddy, Roja, Baji Reddy Govardhan, Janak Prasad, G Ramachandra Rao and family members and well wishers thronged Jagan’s house from afternoon to greet their leader.

The palatial house was also decorated with marigold flower garlands. Party workers and supporters were celebrating the release of Jagan by bursting crackers and bike rallies at the house. Jagan was granted bail by the special court for CBI cases on Monday after the central investigating agency filed a memo stating that it had completed probe in the quid pro quo investments case. He was arrested on May 27, 2012, and lodged in the prison.

Euphoria witnessed at the arrival of Jagan at his residence. He was received by his mother Vijayamma, wife Bharathi and two daughters and sister Sharmila. After a six-hour yatra from Chanchalguda jail Jagan reached his residence at 9.20 pm. He was welcomed by his family members with tears of joy. Seeing his two daughters, Jagan hugged them. Vijayamma blessed Jagan. He was also received with traditional “ Harathi’ before entering the house from one of his family members who also broke a pumpkin to cast off ‘evil spirits’.

Hundreds of Jagan’s supporters and YSR party leaders and workers, who thronged the house, struggled hard to see Jagan at a close range . As the situation went out of control with the continuous obstruction to the moving convoy by Jagan’s supporters, police resorted to mild lathicharge to quell the mob.