CPI State secretary K Narayana arrested

Charged for occupying Government land for salt panning

The district police on Monday took the CPI State secretary K Narayana and 350 others into custody to prevent them from reaching Pallethummalapalem village, where they planned to distribute 3,000 acres of government land to members of a welfare society formed for getting the land alloted for salt panning. The police stopped the CPI State secretary from going to the village fearing a clash with over 2,000 followers of local MLA P Venkataramaiah who gathered there under the leadership of the MLA to stop the CPI activists from occupying the land.

The CPI State secretary K Narayana left the party office along with 300 members of the 'Samudravani Welfare Society for the Poor' to occupy 3000 acres of land under the limits of the village. The police led by DSP RJ David accosted him near the statue and asked him to go back as a law and order situation could arise if he led his followers to the lands. When Narayana refused to obey the order and insisted on proceeding forward unless arrested. He along with the followers were arrested and released after a while.

Speaking at a press conference, the CPI State secretary said that the CPI had been waging a struggle for the cause of salt makers for over three years. A memorandum to this effect was submitted to the Chief Minister, Dr.YS Rajasekhara Reddy but nothing constructive had come out till now, he said.