ANANTAPUR: The tense situation is prevailing in Tadipatri town of Anantapur district with the Opposition YSRC and Left parties giving a bandh call on Friday in protest against the denial of ex gratia to the families of six workers of Gerdau steel plant who died recently in a gas leak. Meanwhile, TDP leaders have decided to take out a rally in Tadipatri against the bandh.
Anticipating trouble and show of strength between the two sides, additional police forces were rushed to Tadipatri and leaders of Opposition parties were taken into preventive custody and some were put under house arrest.
On Thursday evening, police took Tadipatri YSRC in-charge Ketireddy Peddireddy into custody and shifted him to Pamidi police station. YSRC activists in large numbers reached the police station and staged a protest against the police action. They said the arrests were made at the behest of JC brothers — Diwakar Reddy and Prabhakar Reddy.
With the arrest of Peddireddy, the YSRC student wing gave a bandh call in all educational institutions. Sources said more YSRC leaders, including student wing leaders from Anantapur, are likely to reach Tadipatri by Friday.
Meanwhile, TDP district leader Ravindra Reddy gave a call to the party activists to reach Tadipatri MLA JC Prabhakar Reddy’s residence by 8 am to participate in a rally to be taken out in protest against the bandh.
The TDP leaders are said to have chalked out a plan to thwart any move by the Opposition parties to enforce bandh in the town.