Police baton-charge protestors opposing Naidu's arrest

Dharmabad (Maharashtra), July 19 (ANI): The locals in Maharashtra's Dharmabad city on Monday alleged that they were baton-charged by the police, while protesting the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu.

Naidu and the other TDP MLAs remained under detention in Dharmabad.

Early today, the TDP called for a shutdown across Andhra Pradesh to protest the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu.

The Maharashtra police on Friday arrested Naidu along with 75 other politicians, including MPs, state legislators and former ministers for violating prohibitory orders.

They were taken into preventive custody as they tried to visit the Babli Dam in Maharashtra to find out whether that state is grabbing more than its share of water from the River Godavari.

Naidu claimed he was there only to inspect the contentious Babhali Barrage project and to fight for Andhra Pradesh's fair share of water.

Several educational institutions, cinema halls, petrol-filling stations and markets are likely to remain closed today.

Amidst concerns over the controversial project, TDP leaders want to see the Babli project ahead of their July 23 meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

An all-party delegation from Andhra Pradesh is expected to meet Dr. Singh this Friday. (ANI)