india

Updated: Sep 11, 2019 17:52 IST

Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday arrested senior Telugu Desam Party leader and former MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar 12 days after he was booked for abusing and assaulting a Dalit who was carrying sand at Pinakamidi village in State’s West Godavari district on August 31.

Prabhakar was absconding ever since he was booked under SC/ST Atrocities Act for assaulting Cheruku Joseph at Pinakamidi village on August 31 while Joseph was transporting sand in his bullock cart.

On Wednesday morning, the former MLA sent a message to the police requesting to surrender in front of district Superintendent of Police, Navdeep Singh at Eluru later in the day. However, the police arrested Prabhakar as soon as he reached his home to see his ailing wife.

Prabhakar’s followers and TDP workers raised slogans against the police and the YSR Congress government when he was arrested at Duggirala. Prabhakar was later taken to Nuzivid for questioning.

Speaking to reporters after his arrest, Prabhakar said he had been implicated in false cases. “I did not assault anybody, but only retaliated when the YSRC activists provoked me. The police are terrorizing my family and my party workers. I am ready for any investigation,” he said.

The former MLA, whose history sheet was opened by the police way back in 1996, is facing more than 50 criminal cases. His name hit the headlines when he allegedly assaulted a woman tehsildar D Vanajakshi of Musunuru block for allegedly obstructing illegal sand mining in West Godavari district.