As HC rejects bail, Andhra Police arrest YSRCP leader who damaged EVM

Narsaraopet (AP): Andhra Pradesh Police on Wednesday arrested YSRCP leader P Ramakrishna Reddy after the high court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in a case over his alleged attack on a TDP polling agent who questioned him for smashing an EVM.

On polling day May 13, former Macherla MLA Ramakrishna Reddy barged into polling station number 202 in the constituency and smashed an EVM on the floor and also allegedly engaged in an altercation with “adversaries” at the polling station.

When the TDP agent questioned Reddy, he allegedly threatened him and later instigated his followers against him. They allegedly attacked the agent with sticks, rods and knives brought in their vehicles.

Ramakrishna Reddy has been reporting to the district police daily ever since he was enlarged on an interim bail. He was charged with instigating an attack on a TDP worker, Namburi Seshagiri Rao, when the latter tried to stop him while he was leaving the booth after breaking the EVM. The accused had also reportedly threatened a woman at the same polling station and was said to be involved in another attack on a police officer.

Earlier in the day, the High Court dismissed the petitions filed by Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy for an anticipatory bail thereby paving the way for his arrest. It granted interim protection to Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy till June 5 whereas the counting of votes was done a day before (June 4) and the cases have since remained to be finally adjudicated.