Anti-T protests turn violent
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Hyderabad: Police fired tear gas shells at the thousands of protestors. Bronze statues of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were damaged and set on fire. Angry protesters also attacked the offices of the Congress, the BJP, and the mandal revenue officer, damaging the furniture. Vehicles were set on fire.
Police resorted to caning several times to control the situation. More than two kilometres of the main road between Sapthagiri Circle and Clock Tower area was jammed with protestors of various parties and organisations. Street lights and road dividers were damaged. Several policemen also suffered injuries.
Anantapur SP S. Syamasundar himself took to the streets as the situation went out of control by afternoon. In Vizainagaram, a home guard, identified as T. Srinivasa Rao, 37, a native of Tatipudi village within Gantyada police station limits, ended his life. Family and friends said he was depressed over the bifurcation of the state.
Another youth Kodela Siva Naga Vinay, 27, at Nagarulu of Guntur reportedly ended his life for the “cause of United Andhra” by jumping from the terrace of the third floor of a lodge in Arundalpet.
Unconfirmed reports said that two persons — A. Padmanabha Rao and Gurunatha Rao of Krishna district — died due to cardiac arrest while watching news of bifurcation on television.Tirupati, Guntur and Visakhapatnam were other flash points. In Visakhapatnam, Prakasam and Nellore districts, the bandh was partial and peaceful.
The bandh call given by the Samaikyandhra Joint Action Committee in Visakhapatnam saw a few schools and educational institutions closed, fearing attacks, but otherwise it was business as usual for most commercial establishments, shopping malls, and government offices.
The bandh in Krishna and Guntur districts was peaceful and total. Traders downed their shutters and theatres cancelled noon and matinee shows. Educational institutions remained closed. The YSR Congress workers “purified” the statue of Potti Sriramulu, and staged a dharna at the Prakasam barrage in protest against the state’s bifurcation.
Convener of the JAC P. Samuel demanded that Union ministers and MPs submit their resignations to mount pressure on the Centre to keep the state united.
In Tirupati, students of SV University, Sri Padamavathi Mahila University, SV Arts College and Veterinary University took active part in the bandh along with lawyers, professors and bar association members and students of private institutions.
They set fire to effigies of Sonia Gandhi and Digvijay Singh and Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao. In Kakinada, Congress men protested against the CWC decision favouring Telangana by locking up the District Congress Committee (DCC) office.
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