Congress protest turns violent in Hyderabad, Renuka Chowdhury booked for ‘grabbing cop by collar’

#WATCH | Telangana: Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury holds a Policeman by his collar while being taken away by other Police personnel during the party’s protest in Hyderabad over ED summons to Rahul Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/PBqU7769LE

— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2022

Officers at the Panjagutta police station said a case against Chowdhury has been registered for obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty under Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Chowdhury said the policemen touched her first, tried to move her from the spot and in retaliation, she defended herself.

In a video where she was seen seated inside a police jeep, Chowdhury was heard saying, “I have no intention of hitting policemen. That’s not my intention at all. I was being manhandled. I was losing my balance. I was falling on that man. You can see in those visuals that they are suddenly trying to push me. And that is the reason when I was reaching for the shoulder he moved and I caught his collar. It was not my intention to humiliate him or anything like that. Unnecessarily the real issue is being diverted.”

Why were male police officers around me? pic.twitter.com/oHRQ8YqHzz

— Renuka Chowdhury (@RenukaCCongress) June 16, 2022

However, officials of the Panjagutta police station said that she had entered into a heated argument with the police. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Joel Davis, who was also seen being confronted by Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka while being taken into preventive custody, said the Congress leaders were all later let off. “We have registered cases against the Congress leaders for holding the protest, damage to the state transport bus, burning of the two-wheeler and obstruction of civil servants from discharging their duties,” Davis said. The DCP said that the scuffles took place when the Congress workers were being taken into custody.

The Congress leaders converged at PJR Junction, a stone’s throw distance from Raj Bhavan, with the intention of proceeding to the Raj Bhavan, and immediately blocked traffic, causing a massive jam near Khairatabad and surrounding areas for several hours.

The police, who were present in sizeable numbers, tried to prevent them from proceeding towards Raj Bhavan which started the arguments and scuffles. Several youth congress activists climbed on top of a state transport bus and shouted slogans against the BJP government at the Centre and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ED questioning of Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

Congress leaders, including TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy and Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and several others were taken into preventive custody by the police as they were proceeding towards Raj Bhavan.

Sharing photos of the protest, Revanth tweeted: “Arrests will not deter our spirit. Why does the govt fear so much of our leader @RahulGandhi that it takes the help of ED,CBI & police?! We will continue our unparalleled struggle against both central & state govts that are suppressing the voices of the people. #ChaloRajBhavan”

Arrests will not deter our spirit.

Why does the govt fear so much of our leader @RahulGandhi that it takes the help of ED,CBI & police?!

We will continue our unparalleled struggle against both central & state govts that are suppressing the voices of the people. #ChaloRajBhavan pic.twitter.com/YnL59PqfrC

— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) June 16, 2022

In another tweet he said, “Government is testing the patience of the Congress ranks at the Raj Bhavan rally. Our activists were indiscriminately baton-charged. In support of the BJP, the KCR government has pushed khakis up our ranks. However, the Congress is pushing for an end to the dictatorship in the state and the country.”

At another location during the rally, the police baton-charged Congress workers after they allegedly damaged a few vehicles during the protest.

I strongly condemn this attack on TPCC spokesperson @kiran_chamala by police personnel… pic.twitter.com/WXtvs14RjM

— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) June 16, 2022

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Reacting to the incident involving Chowdhury, TRS leader M Krishank tweeted, “What we have to appreciate in the Cop is he showed respect to that Congress Woman and didn’t lose control by reacting in the same manner. Telangana Congress Leaders can go to Delhi and fight at ED office on the Delhi Police. Why manhandle Telangana Police?”

What we have to appreciate in the Cop is he showed respect to that Congress Woman and didn’t lose control by reacting in the same manner .
Telangana Congress Leaders can go to Delhi and fight at ED office on the Delhi Police.
Why manhandle Telangana Police ? @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/3FsBIJhIwd

— krishanKTRS (@krishanKTRS) June 16, 2022