The call for bandh against the preventive arrest of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham evoked mixed response on Saturday.
While the bandh was total in many mandals of the Konaseema area, it received lukewarm response in Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada.
No untoward incidents were reported from any parts of East Godavari district.
Police forces were deployed in many places, particularly in Rajamahendravaram, where the Kapu leader, his wife, and daughter-in-law had been fasting for the last three days seeking the unconditional release of the 13 youths arrested by the CBCID in connection with the arson witnessed in Tuni on January 31 this year during the Kapu Ikya Garjana.
All shops and establishments were closed voluntarily in Amalapuram, Ambajipeta, Tatipaka, Razole, P. Gannavaram, Mummidivaram and other places in the Konaseema area and Ramachandrapuram, Mandapeta, Alamuru, and Tuni.
In Rajamahendravaram, supporters of the YSR Congress and a few Kapu leaders enforced the bandh during the first one hour. In Kakinada, there was no response to the bandh at all.
Hospital turns a fortress
Meanwhile, the police laid siege to all the roads leading to the Government Hospital in Rajamahendravaram, where the Kapu leader was admitted.
They not only used iron stop boards as barricades but also fenced the area around the hospital. They did not allow even out-patients to take their vehicles near the hospital. “We have come from Korukonda along with our daughter who is nine months pregnant. We have tried in vain to convince the police to allow our auto-rickshaw till the hospital gate,” said Matta Mahalakshmi and Sahadevudu. According to East Godavari Superintendent of Police S. Raviprakash, 5,000 personnel from the neighbouring districts and five companies of para military forces had been deployed. A march past was conducted in Kirlampudi, the hometown of Mr. Padmanabham.
He said that preventive arrests and house arrests were continuing.
