Visakhapatnam (PTI): Over 25 candidates were barred from appearing in a crucial competitive examination in Visakhapatnam on Monday after they reportedly arrived late due to traffic restrictions allegedly imposed for the smooth passage of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s convoy

The examination was scheduled to begin at 8.30 am at the ION Digital Zone building in Chinnamusidivada, Pendurthi.

B Kalavathi, the mother of a student appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination 2025, which determines admissions to National Institutes of Technology , claimed that her son was delayed due to traffic restrictions enforced for Kalyan’s convoy.

"We were stuck in traffic. It was halted because Kalyan was on his way to Araku," Kalavathi told PTI, adding that the roads were cleared to allow the actor-politician’s convoy to pass.

According to her, they reached NAD junction at 7.50 am but took 42 minutes to cover the remaining distance to the exam centre, arriving too late and being denied entry.

"Nearly 30 students were affected. We pleaded repeatedly but were not allowed in," she said, referring to their failed attempts to gain entry into the exam hall.

Anil Kumar, another parent, observed that even a five-minute exemption by the examination centre could have saved the day—and possibly an entire academic year—for his daughter, who also missed the exam.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will come and go, but had the police informed the exam centre and granted a five-minute exemption, Kumar said, recounting the ordeal.

Though his daughter reached the examination centre at 8.32 am, Kumar said she was denied entry due to being two minutes late.

Speaking to media, a parent appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to consider rescheduling the exam for the affected students.

Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam police issued a statement denying any connection between the convoy and the students' late arrival.

"It is clear that the Deputy CM’s movement through the area at 8.41 am has no connection to the late arrival of students, who were expected to report by 7 am and certainly before 8.30 am," the police said.

Further, the police emphasised that the number of absentees among examinees was the lowest today.

"Moreover, no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the service roads between Gopalapatnam and Pendurthi at any time before 8.30 am to ensure the free movement of examinees to the examination centre, which is located next to a service road," the police added.

The Janasena founder visited the Araku constituency on Monday to interact with tribal communities and launch a few road construction projects.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bajpe: Police have arrested a youth for allegedly posting derogatory and defamatory content against the Bajpe police on social media.

The arrested accused has been identified as Abhishek M. (23), a resident of Katipalla, Surathkal.

According to the police, Abhishek posted a photograph of Bajpe Nisarga Hotel on his Instagram account mr_a_titude_22, alleging that accused persons in a murder case under the jurisdiction of the Bajpe police station were being treated “like royalty” by the police and were being served beef meals from the hotel every day. In his post, he further accused the police of colluding with criminals and misusing their authority, stating that public trust in the police was being betrayed.

Following which, the Bajpe police registered a case and arrested the accused.

Police records reveal that Abhishek is already facing multiple criminal cases. A case of murder, attempt to murder, assault and robbery has been registered against him at the Surathkal police station. At the same time, a robbery case has also been registered at the Kaup police station.

After his arrest, Abhishek was handed over to the custody of the CEN police for further investigation. He was later produced before a court, police said.