Search on for Lagadapati

Hyderabad/Vijayawada, Dec 21: Police on Monday launched massive searches across the state for fasting Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal who made a dramatic escape from the Government General Hospital at Vijayawada on Sunday night.Lagadapati gave the slip to 150 policemen present at the Hospital. He was on fast for six days against the Central Government's move to bifurcate the State.Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy here said the MP had not yet been found. Chief Minister K Rosaiah held a high-level meeting on the incident.The Vijayawada MP's whereabouts are still not known.

The MP slipped out of the GGH even as the police were making arrangements to shift him to Hyderabad. Lagadapati, on the pretext of talking to the media, got into his follower's car and sped away from the scene even before the police could realise what was happening.The MP was angry over the police for turning down his request to shift him to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences and hospital at Hyderabad. Meanwhile,the police sounded high alert in Krishna district to trace the MP.City police commissioner Rajendranath Reddy said the MP's `act' could not be imagined.He said heavy security cover was provided to the MP at the Hospital and it was never imagined that he would give a slip. Even an inspector was trying to prevent the MP from boarding a car,but the MP did not heed and sped away, he added.

An enquiry would be launched into the incident and action be taken against the responsible officers.The Qualis in which the MP left the the hospital was traced at Ramarpadu Lagadapati's wife Padma said her husband left the hospital because of the dictatorial behaviour of the police. Right from the day Lagadapati started the protest, the police have been rude towards him, she said adding that she and her children are worried over the safety of Rajgopal and insisted that the police trace him immediately. She also demanded the resigantion of police commissioner as he was responsible for the present situation.