Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Telangana BJP Chief Arrested En Route to Jurala Farmers' Protest
Telangana BJP leader N. Ramachander Rao was arrested on Tuesday.
He and other BJP leaders were traveling to the Jurala project.
They wanted to meet farmers who were protesting for water for their crops.
Police stopped their convoy at Jadcherla and took them into custody after they resisted the blockade.
Rao said the arrests were undemocratic and criticized the Congress-led government.
Farmers say their paddy and other crops are drying because irrigation water has not been released.
Some farmers had earlier opened canal gates, but officials closed them again.
Other BJP leaders demanded that water be released and that detained leaders be freed.
They said they would continue protesting for the farmers.
Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao and party leaders were arrested Tuesday while traveling to the Jurala irrigation project.
The delegation planned to meet protesting farmers, assess water levels, and express solidarity with their demand for irrigation water.
Police stopped the convoy at Jadcherla in Mahbubnagar district after the group resisted the blockade.
Farmers say crops are drying because officials have not released water, while some groups previously opened canal gates before officials shut them again.
BJP leaders condemned the arrests, demanded immediate water release, and warned that their agitation would intensify.
- Who
- Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao, other BJP leaders, police, and farmers in the Jurala command area.
- What
- Rao and a BJP delegation were arrested while traveling to meet farmers and support their demand for irrigation water.
- When
- Tuesday; farmers had reportedly been protesting for several days.
- Where
- The convoy was stopped at Jadcherla in Mahbubnagar district while traveling toward the Jurala irrigation project.
- Why
- The BJP delegation wanted to assess water levels and farmers' problems, while farmers were seeking water to protect standing crops.
BJP and Farmers' Claims
Police and Government Action
Detention of BJP leaders
BJP and Farmers' Claims
Rao called the detention undemocratic, while BJP leaders said arrests and house detentions prevented them from meeting farmers and understanding their problems.
Police and Government Action
Police stopped the convoy at Jadcherla and took the group into custody after they resisted the blockade; the reports do not provide a detailed government explanation for the action.
Release of irrigation water
BJP and Farmers' Claims
Farmers and the BJP demanded immediate water release, saying crops were drying despite reported storage at Jurala.
Police and Government Action
Officials shut canal gates after some groups opened them, but the reports do not state the officials' reasons for withholding or closing the irrigation supply.
Political response
BJP and Farmers' Claims
BJP leaders accused the Congress-led state government of failing to protect crops and suppressing farmers' voices.
Police and Government Action
The reports describe the police blockade and detentions but do not include a substantive response from the Congress-led government.
- Arrested leader
- N. Ramachander Rao, Telangana BJP state president
- Destination
- Jurala irrigation project
- Police action
- The convoy was stopped at Jadcherla and Rao and others were taken into custody
- Farmers' demand
- Release of Jurala water for irrigation and standing crops
- Reported live storage
- 5.1 tmc ft, compared with the project's gross capacity of 8.81 tmc ft
- BJP response
- Leaders condemned the arrests, demanded action, and threatened intensified agitation
- Other detentions
- BJP leaders said district leaders, including Ramanjaneyulu and D.K. Snigdha Reddy, were placed under house arrest
