Black balloons seen flying near PM Modi’s chopper in Andhra Pradesh, 4 Congress workers held

Mangalore Today News Network

Gannavaram, July 04, 2022: Police have arrested four Congress workers for releasing black balloons after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chopper took off from the Gannavaram airport in Andhra Pradesh.

 

Refuting claims of a security breach at the Gannavaram airport during PM Modi’s Andhra Pradesh visit, police said a few balloons were released 4.5km away from the airport five minutes after PM Modi’s departure.

Police said four Congress workers were apprehended and one was on the run.

 

#WATCH | A Congress worker released black balloons moments after PM Modi’s chopper took off, during his visit to Andhra Pradesh.

(Source: unverified) pic.twitter.com/ZYRlAyUcZK

— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022

Congress leaders had called for a nationwide protest to oppose PM Modi by showing black balloons. As a precautionary measure, the Krishna district police had also imposed Sections 30 of the Police Act, and Section 144 of the CrPC.

Police said just before the Prime Minister’s arrival, at 8:30 am, three people, Sunkadara Padmashree, Parvathi, and Kishore, were seen walking towards the airport with black balloons.

The police identified them, apprehended the trio, and booked them under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and 145 (whoever joins or continues in an unlawful assembly, knowing that such unlawful assembly has been commanded in the manner prescribed by law to disperse) of the Indian Penal Code. The balloons were also burst by the police.

Police said five minutes after PM Modi took off from the Gannavaram airport, at Soorampalli, 4.5km away from the airport, two Congress members, Rajeev Ratan and Ravi Prakash, climbed an under-construction apartment and released a few black balloons. However, by the time they released the balloons, PM Modi’s chopper had left the airport, police said.

Police said Ravi Prakash had been taken into custody, while Rajeev Ratan was absconding. The police are on the lookout for him.

According to DSP Vijaypal, “Congress leaders flew black balloons. There is no failure in the Prime Minister’s security. We have already arrested Congress leader Sunkara Padma and three others.”

“We will identify and arrest the others," he said.

Courtesy: India Today