NELLORE: Causing a stir in the ruling party, Venkatagiri YSRC MLA Anam Ramanarayana Reddy has alleged that betting, liquor, land and sand mafias are ruling the roost in Nellore city. It is learnt that Anam made the sensational comments on the law and order situation in the city in the wake of transfer of the district Superintendent of Police due to ‘political interference’.
Interacting with the media at Venkatagiri on Friday, he said the district witnessed transfer of four SPs within five years and none of them completed at least one year tenure, attributing it to political interference.
The city is being virtually controlled by the mafias and many people have become victims. “If any sincere police officer discharges his duty in an efficient and unbiased manner, politicos do not like him to continue in the district and get him transferred,” the MLA said, citing the instance of transfer of former SP K Srinivasa Reddy who maintained law and order efficiently.
“If you want pure honey, visit Venkatagiri and if you want see the power wielded by the mafia, visit Nellore city,” the MLA said.
He lamented that police officers are hesitant to take effective measures to rein in the mafias due to the political interference in administrative matters.
Anam family has been playing a key role in the district politics for several decades. Ramanarayana Reddy also served as a minister in the erstwhile united AP.
He joined the ruling Telugu Desam on January 17, 2016 along with his brother Vivekananda Reddy and the latter is no more now. Further, Ramanarayana Reddy shifted his loyalties to YSRC before the general elections and won from Venkatagiri. Though he aspired for a Cabinet berth, he was not given a ministerial post.
In fact, Ramanarayana Reddy has differences with some leaders in the ruling YSRC. He also raised questions over allocation of water at the recent Irrigation Advisory Board meeting. Anam family has considerable following in Nellore city and rural constituencies.
Anam Vijayakumar Reddy, brother of Ramanarayana Reddy, has been proposed as Chairman of the District Cooperative Central Bank.
Nellore SP Aishwarya Rastogi who took charge in October last year, was transferred in the latest reshuffle of IPS officers. AIG Bhaskar Bhushan, who was waiting for posting, has been posted as new SP of Nellore.
Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy recently ‘revolted’ against the senior police officer in connection with a dispute with an MPDO criticising him as the official whom the former minister P Narayana preferred.
Previously, PHD Ramakrishna, known for his straightforwardness, was also transferred abruptly during the TDP regime, who showed courage to curb the betting mafia in the district with an iron hand without yielding to political pressure.
Sources in the ruling YSRC say Aishwarya Rastogi was not tough enough to register cases against the prominent leaders in the ruling party, which irked the Chief Minister’s Office, leading to his transfer from Nellore.