Police and Telangana activists are playing catch again ahead of the Telangana March on Sept. 30. While the cops have closed all routes leading to Hyderabad, prospective marchers are poking the cordon sanitaire for points at which to slip through. Many have already made their way to the city.
From experience gained in the Million March last year, the police top brass have a ready protocol to follow. They have a list of 5,000 Telangana activists who are specialists in stoking trouble. Sundered district-wise, they have been sent to SPs, with instructions that the specialists be put under surveillance and rounded up if necessary. While police sources said arrests would commence from Thursday, Prof Kodandaram told Express that they already have.
The Nalgonda police for instance have received a list of 350 agit champs to watch out for. In Karimnagar, more than 100 have been picked up. In Nalgonda, about 200 have been bound over. There were similar reports from Warangal, Medak, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar and Adilabad.
The idea is to minimise the number massing up at Necklace Road. The police have told private transporters and educational institutions that it is not wise to supply their vehicles to T groups.
On the other hand, Telangana supporters are resorting to every device to dodge the police. “Police are focusing on main roads and large groups of travellers. So we are taking village roads, using smaller vehicles and going in ones and twos. We’ll be there on September 30,” exulted a TJAC leader from Sangareddy.