Date:26/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/26/stories/2005012605420400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Bandh throws normal life out of gear

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JAN.25. The bandh called by the Telugu Desam to protest against the killing of Paritala Ravi affected normal life in the State today as hundreds of TDP workers attacked RTC buses, Government offices, organised rail, road blockades and burnt the effigies of the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Police said 2,121 persons were arrested in connection with bandh-related incidents. As many as 79 RTC buses were burnt and another 216 damaged. The agitators damaged 26 Government and 17 private vehicles, as well as 29 properties, including 16 belonging to the Government. At some places, TDP activists attacked Congress offices. Twentyone trains were detained by agitators at various railway stations.

Teacher killed

The bandh was peaceful in the State capital. A Vijayawada report said a school teacher was killed when she was hit by a speeding auto which was trying to escape from agitators in Machilipatnam town. TDP activists torched five buses and damaged 39 others in Krishna district.

Barring stray incidents of detention of trains and rasta roko, the bandh was peaceful in East Godavari district. In Prakasam district, the Cheemakurthy MRO was injured when he was assaulted by agitators.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Visakhapatnam district. APSRTC buses were off the road as a precautionary measure. The Kasimkota MRO Y. Manikyam, was allegedly manhandled by TD men.

`Rail roko'

More than 100 persons were arrested in Nellore and Padugupadu railway stations when they detained trains. The agitators ransacked the MRO office at Muttukuru.

The bandh was near-total in Cuddapah district. The Rajya Sabha member, S. Ramamuni Reddy, and others detained a train at the Cuddapah station. The TDP cadres burnt the effigy of the Chief Minister in Prodattur town. A Chittoor report said that TDP workers attacked the MRO and MPDO office in Penumur.

In Adilabad town, the police caned TDP workers when they tried attack the Congress office. In Warangal, the TDP workers damaged the Khanapur mandal development office.

A report from Nizamabad said TDP workers attacked the offices of MRO, commercial taxes and Panchayat Raj engineers in Kamareddy town. In Banswada, the APTRANSCO office was ransacked. In Karimnagar, the protesters ransacked MPDO office at Peddapally and the municipal office at Jagtial town.

The agitators attacked a petrol bunk and the branch of a nationalised bank at Palvancha in Khammam district. They also disrupted the arrangements for Republic Day at Prakasam stadium in Kothagudem.