Phone snatched, manhandled: Yogendra Yadav lashes out after being detained in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Psephologist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav was on Saturday detained in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai while he was heading to meet farmers protesting against the eight-lane Salem Chennai expressway. In a series of tweets, the 55-year-old leader alleged that the police of stopped him from meeting the farmers and accused them of manhandling.

He tweeted, "TN police has detained me and team in Chengam PS, Thiru Annamalai district. We came on the invitation of Movement Against 8Lane Way. We were prevented from going to meet farmers, phones snatched, manhandled and pushed into police van. First hand experience of police state in TN!"

"I had spoken to Mr Kandasamy,  Collector, Thiru Annamalai about acquisition and complains of police excesses for 8 lane way. He completely denied any police interference. Within minutes of the phone call police detained us," Yadav added.

While we were being stopped and detained pic.twitter.com/yJPlskyE8y — Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) September 8, 2018

In another tweet, he said, "Supdt. Police, Thiru Annamalai is here to tell me hay they apprehend law and order problem due to my presence! I am saying I will only visit farmers inside their homes. SP says I am not allowed! Gandhian disobedience is the only way out, it seems."

Yadav is the founder of a political party Swaraj India. He founded the party in 2015, following his eviction from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for taking on party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.