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Written by Sreenivas Janyala | Hyderabad | Posted: November 6, 2014 2:23 pm | Updated: November 6, 2014 2:26 pm

Visakhapatnam Rural Police arrested an assistant professor of Andhra University early on Thursday morning for suspected links with Maoists. Dr Jarla Appa Rao who is head of Telugu Department and a tribal rights activist was whisked away from his residence at 2 am. Vizag Rural SP Dr Koya Praveen told The Indian Express that they took Rao into their custody for some reasons.

Dr Jarla Appa Rao who is head of Telugu Department and a tribal rights activist was whisked away from his residence at 2 am. Vizag Rural SP Dr Koya Praveen told The Indian Express that they took Rao into their custody.

“We are questioning him right now, we will give all the details later in the evening,” SP Praveen said. Rao’s colleague Prof D V R Murthy said police informed Vice-Chancellor K S N Raju that they detained Rao for allegedly helping Maoists procure arms and explosives. A large number of students and members of Adivasi Associations are staging a demonstration outside the SP’s office in Vizag and demanded his immediate release. Activist Varavara Rao condemned the arrest saying that Dr Rao has no links with Maoists. “You cannot even say that he is a sympathizer or supports their ideology. Even if

“You cannot even say that he is a sympathizer or supports their ideology. Even if the police had some suspicion what was the necessity of dragging him away at 2 am?’’ Varavara Rao said.

“Dr Rao is head of Telugu Department and he is working since 2007. In the Univeristy, he has a very clean record and quite liked in the department. His arrest is a big surprise for us because we are not aware of his alleged Maoist connections,’’ Prof Murthy said.

Rao lives in the university staff quarters in the sprawling AU campus.

Rao is well liked among the large BC and SC/ST community students of Andhra University. “If anyone is in need of money to pay fees, Dr Rao always helps. He helps poor students unconditionally. He is also good guide and assists students in picking up research subjects. He is a very good human being,’’ K Kanta Rao, a student leader said.

Dr Rao is also a tribal rights activist and often participates in tribal meetings, and has been advocating for the protection of rights of tribals living in the Andhra-Odisha border areas.

Rao’s wife Padma called up the VC and informed him that some men in plain clothes came at 2 am to their house and forcibly took her husband away. Until police officials informed university authorities in the morning that he was in their custody, they had no clue where he was taken and by who. Padma and two children also joined students and staff members in the demonstration at the SP’s office.

Vizag Rural Police had recovered small quantity of explosives at Bodipatnam near Narsipatnam on Tuesday night which was allegedly meant for Maoists in the Andhra-Odisha Border area.

– See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/andhra-university-assistant-professor-arrested-for-suspected-links-with-maoists/#sthash.0YC5jpAp.dpuf