MP booked for saying CM's copter will be shot down

The Andhra Pradesh Police booked a case against Ponnam Prabhakar, MP from Karimnagar, for saying Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s helicopter will be shot down if it ventures into Telangana.

Director General of Police B Prasada Rao said he directed the Karimnagar police to take up the case on a suo motu basis, although several complaints were filed with police across the Seemandhra region. “A case under IPC 153 (Provocation with intent to cause riot) has been booked against Mr. Ponnam Prabhakar in Karimnagar Town Police station and we have began investigating the case,” Karimnagar Superintendent of Police, V Shivakumar said.

Prabhakar has said he will oppose Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s visit to Karimnagar to inaugurate the Ellamapalli-Sripada Sagar project, which is slated for 5 January. He also urged the police to stop the CM from entering Telangana region. On Thursday, when journalists asked Prabhakar what if Kiran came to inaugurate the project, he said that the chief minister should be “shameless to enter Telangana.”

“If he decides to come, then we will shoot the helicopter he will be travelling in,” said Prabhakar, gesturing his finger in the air. Prabhakar made the controversial statement on Thursday, a day after S. Jaipal Reddy, a senior Telangana leader and Union minister, called for restraint by Telangana leaders.