Tension prevailed for some time in front of a police station in the temple town of Tirupati following detention of a local journalist here for a few hours today.
The journalist, Gandhi, printer and publisher of Telugu weekly 'Tirupati Vani,' was picked up from his residence in the early hours today and detained at the East Police Station for a few hours after a complaint lodged by a neurologist running a clinic here.
The neurologist, Dr C Subramaniam, alleged he was being blackmailed by the local newspaper, which had written a defamatory article on him and carried a photograph of him, showing his torso with shirt and tie.
The journalist was released after the doctor came to the police station along with some members of the Tirupati Doctors Association and reached a compromise.
A few senior journalists objected to the manner in which Gandhi was picked up by police for interrogation without giving minimum courtesy to the fourth estate.
The journalists also felt the doctor could have approached the court and Press Council of India instead of complaining to police.
It may be noted that an additional block of the hospital being run by Dr Subramaniam was opened by Andhra Chief Minister Dr Rajasekhara Reddy here recently.
