Armed with a go-ahead from the Centre, the Andhra Pradesh Police as well as the Railway Protection Force have decided to act tough and foil the three-day rail-roko agitation planned by Telangana statehood seekers from October 12.
"We will try, as security agencies, to keep things as normal as possible. We will invoke certain stringent provisions of the Railways Act as well as the Indian Penal Code that will entail even life imprisonment for those seeking to break the law (in the name of rail-roko)," state additional director general of police (law and order) Syed Anwar-ul Huda asserted.
He told a press conference that additional para-military forces were being deployed, along with RPF, GRP and state police personnel, at all vulnerable railway spots as well as on trains.
Though Huda did not give a specific reply on whether the rail-roko would be allowed, he said, "We will try and keep things as normal as possible. All of us (security agencies) are joining hands to see things remain under control."
He said the police was geared up for "all eventualities" and added that Telangana activists were being taken into preventive custody ahead of the rail-roko.
Additional DGP (government railway police) Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi, chief security commissioner of railway protection force B. Mohan and inspector general of police (law and order) A.R. Anuradha at the state police headquarters were also present at the press conference.