HYDERABAD: Two persons received severe injuries and 70 others were taken into preventive custody by Cyberabad police on Thursday while attempting to stop the Telangana Reddy Aikya Vedika members from walking towards Pragati Bhavan. Hundreds of people under banner of Reddy Aikya Vedika (TRAV) started a rally from Rajanna Siricilla district to Hyderabad on October 2 asking government to fulfill their demands. From Rajanna Siricialla, the members came to Medchal on Thursday covering Kamareddi, Medak and Siddipet districts. As the rally did not have a permission, the police stopped the mob and detained TRAV state president and a few others.
The angered mob staged a protest in front of the Medchal police station demanding their immediate release. The mob became violent when the police tried to disperse them. Traffic was badly affected for several hours in the area due to the protest. By evening, the situation worsened. Angry mob threw water bottles at police, including at senior officials. The police detained around 70 persons from the spot including TRAV president A Santosh Reddy and working president A Ram Reddy, and shifted them to nearby police stations.
In a media release, TRAV alleged that the police lathi charged its members in which Srinvias Reddy and another Vidya Reddy received ‘bleeding’ injuries. They alleged that Cyberabad police did not allow them to take out the rally peacefully. Speaking to the Express, Balanagar DCP Dr Y Sai Sekhar said “We handled the mob tactically and ensured that lathi charge does not take place.”
Responding to a query, the DCP said that the group was not permitted to take out the rally and despite that they staged dharna in front of the police station causing severe traffic hindrance.
“As many as 70 persons have been taken into preventive custody and nine members who have thrown water bottles and other articles at police to create panicking situation are being booked under section 324 of IPC,” said the DCP.