HYDERABAD: The bandh call given by the Joint Action Committee of political parties demanding separate Telangana was near total in the city with business establishments, schools and even courts closing down. The day marked forcible closure of shops and protests by the Telangana activists across the City throughout the day.
The bandh, however, did not evoke much response in the Old City and majority of the shops were kept open and BJP supporters who tried to close them down were forced to make a hasty retreat at Madina.
With RTC buses, local trains and MMTS too pulling out their services, commuters at all the bus stands and railway stations had to face a tough time to reach their destinations.
Police took 434 protestors into custody while advocates, political leaders and students took out protests and rallies in the city.
Hoodwinking the police, hundreds of advocates forced their way to the Telangana Martyr’s Memorial at the Gun Park today. Though a security blanket was thrown on the roads leading to the memorial, advocates of the Criminal Courts Complex, Nampally entered the Public Gardens through the railway tracks and made their way to the road opposite Gun Park from the Jawahar Bal Bhavan entrance taking the police by surprise.
The advocates squatted at the Martyr’s Memorial demanding the withdrawal of cases against advocates and students. More than 110 advocates were taken into preventive custody by the police when they tried to march towards the DGP’s office. Advocates of the High Court also took out a motorcycle rally from the court premises but were taken into custody at Nampally and shifted to Goshamahal stadium.
Rangareddy district court advocates also boycotted courts and went on a relay hunger strike at L B Nagar. Tension prevailed when used tyres were set ablaze by some protestors leading to mild use of force by the police.
Saroornagar police also took into custody youngsters who tried to take out a scooter rally.
Tension prevailed at Nacharam when Telangana activists forced industries to close. They raised slogans against the management of GVK Bio which put up a `closed’ board to its gate but was forcing its employees to work inside. The managements later allowed the employees to leave the premises.
Meanwhile, JAC leaders including its convenor Prof Kodandaram and others were taken into custody at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram when they tried to take out a rally to RTC crossroads.
BJP State president B Dattatreya and others were arrested when they tried to force their way into the DGP’s office demanding withdrawal of cases against Telangana activists.
At Madina, traders attacked BJP activists who went to forcibly close down business establishments. The BJP leaders later staged a dharna before the Charminar police station demanding action against the accused.
Meanwhile, protestors pelted stones on Mount Opera entertainment centre and also damaged a car opposite the Ramoji Film City in Hayathnagar. At some places, Telangana activists took up novel protests.
Ibrahimpatnam legislator Manchi Reddy Kishan Reddy played `Kabaddi’ on the Nagarjunasagar Highway. In the Osmania University also, students played a kabaddi match.
TRS activists organised a massive community feeding on the highway at L B Nagar blocking traffic for more than an hour.
Personnel of RAF, CRPF, QRT and also special police personnel from Karnataka stood guard at all important places to prevent any untoward incidents.