Police forcibly shift Babu to NIMS, TDP calls for bandh, fast continues

After a seven-hour tussle between the police and thousands of Telugu Desam Party supporters, former chief minister and Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu was forcibly shifted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Science at Punjagutta early on Monday morning where he is continuing his indefinite hunger strike to pressurize the government for adequate compensation for rain-hit farmers.

Protesting Mr Naidu’s forcible shifting to Hospital, the TDP has called for a state-wide bandh on Monday. The Left parties have extended support the bandh call.

The government had decided to shift Mr Naidu to the hospital from the New MLA Quarters in Adarsh Nagar after his health condition deteriorated with his blood sugar levels falling alarmingly.

Mr Naidu’s fast entered the fourth day on Monday at the hospital where doctors are monitoring his blood sugar levels.

Earlier, at about 2:30 AM, the police, in full riot gear had descended to the New MLA Quarters and tried to shift Mr Naidu to the hospital, but they were resisted by the thousands of TDP workers and Mr Naidu’s supporters.

Tension prevailed at the New MLA Quarters as thousands of TDP workers surrounded the dais, where Mr Naidu was resting, in a bid to prevent police action.

Sensing trouble, the police locked the main gate of MLA Quarters to prevent anyone from coming inside even as thousands of TDP workers thronged the venue to resist the police action.

The police first tried to reason with the TDP supporters and persuade them to take the former chief minister to hospital but the adamant party workers and leaders remained unrelenting.

The police finally decided to use force and used their batons to disperse the TDP chief’s supporters.

Several plain-clothed policemen belonging to the City Task Force made their way to the dais to bodily carry away the former chief minister while the police in riot-gear allegedly used their batons to disperse the party workers.TDP workers jostled with the police to thwart their attempts.

Earlier, Joint Commissioner of Police MM Bhagawat spoke to Naidu and requested him to agree to being shifted to the Nizams Institute of Health Sciences in view of his failing health. The Leader of Opposition, however, refused to heed Mr Bhagawat’s words and said that he would continue his fast at the same sport.

The police clash with TDP workers left many of them injured including Mr Naidu’s son Lokesh, MLC YVB Rajendra Prasad.

A case under Section 309 of Indian Penal Code (attempt to commit suicide) was registered against the TDP chief while a case under Section 353 IPC (preventing a public servant from discharging his duties) was registered against other TDP leaders.

Meanwhile, the NIMS Director and Principal Secretary (Health) PV Ramesh appointed a six member team to look after Naidu’s health.