President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), YS Sharmila, was detained by Guntur police as she attempted to lead a protest march towards the secretariat at the Kondaveeti Vagu Lift Irrigation Scheme near the Prakasam Barrage at Undavalli of Tadepalli Municipality on Thursday. Despite the police’s assertion that no authorisation had been granted for the ‘Chalo Secretariat’ movement, Sharmila and other Congress leaders continued their march to the secretariat.
Consequently, the police took into custody Sharmila Reddy, a Special Invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), along with former APCC chief Gidugu Rudra Raju and other participants. Initially held at the Duggirala Police Station, they were later transferred to the Mangalagiri police station. Subsequently, Sharmila Reddy was released after providing a signature under section 151 at the police station.
Authorities stated that the Congress party leaders and supporters were detained for non-compliance with police directives. During the apprehension, Sharmila Reddy sustained minor injuries to her hands as female constables escorted her into a police vehicle.
Sharmila Reddy initiated the ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest march on Thursday morning in solidarity with the state’s unemployed youth from the Congress party’s headquarters, Andhra Ratna Bhavan, in Vijayawada. Former central minister JD Seelam, APCC Working President Dr N Tulasi Reddy, CWC special invitee Gidugu Rudra Raju, and others participated in the demonstration, advocating for the release of the Mega DSC notification to fill 25,000 teacher vacancies.