Telangana Leader YS Sharmila Detained From Protest Against Exam Paper Leak

YSR Telangana Party chief YS Sharmila was today detained by the police from a protest demonstration in Hyderabad. Dramatic visuals from the spot showed the police dragging her as she resisted detention. Several of her supporters, who joined her in raising slogans demanding justice over exam paper leaks, were also ferried away from the spot in a bus.

The alleged leak of the Telangana State Public Service Commission exam paper was the immediate trigger for the protest. The BJP has also been turning the heat on the K Chandrashekar Rao-led state government on the issue.

The police have arrested at least eleven people in the case.

There have been sharp exchanges between Ms Sharmila and KT Rama Rao, who is the Industries and Information Technology minister of the state. The minister said that the leakage was a limited activity by certain individuals who behaved in a malafide manner. 

The BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar has said that there is a more systemic problem and that people who are higher up, both politically and in the administration, are involved in this.

At least three exams have been cancelled in the state after paper leaks.

Ms Sharmila, the younger sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been on a major padayatra (foot march) in Telangana, covering thousands of kilometres. In an attempt to build an independent political career in Telangana, which was part of undivided Andhra Pradesh when their father, YS Rajasekhara Reddy ('YSR'), was among its most powerful leaders, she has been actively agitating on issues that resonate with the people. She claims her party has nothing to do with her brother's YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and has also earlier ruled out any tie-up with the BJP or the Congress

YSR was head of a Congress government in the state from 2004 to 2009. He died in a helicopter crash.