Curfew in Vizianagaram town was eased for an hour this morning after normalcy began to return in the violence-hit area even as strict vigil was being maintained during the relaxation period.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Vizag) P Umapathi said that the curfew was relaxed between 7 and 8 a.m. to facilitate people to purchase essential commodities like milk and petrol.
He said the situation is peaceful and now under control as there has been no fresh violence since Monday.
On Monday, District Collector Kantilal Dande reviewed the law and order situation with top police officials including Additional Director General of Police J Purnachandra Rao, Deputy Inspector General Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and Superintendent of Police Karthikeya.
According to police sources, in all 110 persons involved in violent incidents have been taken into custody and a special team has been formed to nab those indulging in violence.
Curfew was clamped in Vizianagaram town on Saturday night in wake of large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators who remained unabated and clashed with police yesterday also.
In view of the power crisis, several passenger and express trains from here and en route have been cancelled.
Simhadri, Janmabhoomi, Tirumala, Dakshin link, Garibrath, Duranto, Visakhaptnam- Nanded, Koraput—Visakhaptnam inter-city Express from Visakhapatnam were cancelled.
Also passenger trains including Visakhpatnam-Palasa, Visakhaptnam-Rayagada, Visakhaptnam-Durg, Visakhpatnam Raipur, Rajahmundry— Visakhpatnam, Vijaywada—Visakhaptnam and other passenger trains have been cancelled.
Industrial units in Visakhapatnam and surrounding areas were badly hit on Monday due to lack of power supply.
However, the shore-based Visakhapatnam steel plant and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Refinery was running with its captive power plant.
Also, north coastal districts of Srikakulam, Viziangaram and Visakhapatnam remained in dark on Monday as power employees joined the agitation over the state division.
Vizianagaram, a town in coastal Andhra, has been roiling since the Union Cabinet’s October 3 decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.
