HYDERABAD: The TDP-sponsored bandh to protest against the murder of Paritala Ravi was marred by violence at several places across the state. Government and Congress party offices were attacked and roads and trains blocked at several places. RTC buses, the butt of rioting and arson on Monday, remained in their depots.

Over 2000 of them were arrested for damaging public property all over the state. While Anantapur town itself remained peaceful, other parts of the volatile district saw sporadic violence: the MRO office at Kambadur, and the MPDO office at OD Cheruvu were burnt and a clash took place between TDP and Congress workers in Somandepalli village. Curfew continued in Anantapur town though people moved about freely.

In Paritala's village Venkatapuram, the slain MLA was buried, as per family tradition, in his farm, as Ravi's followers vowed to avenge his killing. Among the many present at the funeral were TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, Maoist singer Gadar and film star Mohan Babu apart from over 10,000 followers and relatives of Ravi.

Police did not send any forces there to avoid provoking their ire. However, a posse of 10 policemen accompanied Chandrababu Naidu up to the village outskirts. The funeral crowd turned its ire on them. They set a police van on fire and chased away the police personnel.

Two police constables suffered grievous injuries in the attack and were rushed to Anantapur for treatment. The mob also tried to attack Naidu's personal security officers. Some TDP leaders's gunmen were injured in the attack. Without naming the TDP, DGP Swaranjit Sen criticised the "main opposition party" for indulging in "mindless violence" in the state. Sen said the violence by a "responsible party and its experienced leaders," were regrettable. "I was pained to see the way the leaders came out on the streets and led the crowd in damaging public and private property."