Tension prevailed all over the district when the police tried to prevent people proceeding towards the State capital to take part in the Telangana March on Sunday.
Several police check posts and cancellation of several trains notwithstanding, large number of people proceeded towards Hyderabad to take part in the protest.
Most of the Telangana activists boarded Shatavahana Express in order to reach Hyderabad. At Kazipet, the police prevented 600 Telangana activists from participating in the march.
In a similar manner, the police also detained about 600 activists at Mahabubabad and those coming from Khammam district. The police stopped Secunderabad-bound Shatahavana Express at Jangaon for about three hours by allegedly detaining the train driver and guard.
Warangal Range DIG Vikram Mann Singh and OSD Sai Sekhar rushed to Jangaon to monitor the situation. About 400 Left-wing activists on board the Shatavahana train were forced to get down the train.
The activists conducted ‘dhoom dhaam’ on the railway station premises demanding that they be allowed to proceed to Hyderabad. However, the police prevailed on them.
The train which was scheduled to reach Secunderabad at 11.45 a.m., left around 4 p.m., much to the inconvenience of the passengers.
The police have also forced 300 Telangana activists on board Navjeevan Express to get down at Mahabubabad and about 200 activists on board Patna Express at Raghunathpalli and stopped activists boarding the GT Express at Kazipet.
Over 300 arrested
Nalgonda Correspondent writes: Over 300 Telangana protagonists, including members of the Political Joint Action Committee (JAC), TRS, BJP, CPI and CPI (ML New Democracy), were arrested by the police in different parts of the district. Among those arrested were presidents of TRS and BJP B. Narender Reddy and V. Chandrasekhar, besides CPI secretary M. Adi Reddy.
The police set up four check-posts at different spots on the National Highway 65, including two near Narketpally and Choutuppal, which were heavily manned. Superintendent of Police Navin Gulati moved on the highway to check the arrangements and give instructions to the personnel manning the check-posts.
The police also arrested about 100 persons who figured in cases registered earlier against them.
Following the arrests, an agitated Nalgonda MP G. Sukhender Reddy stormed the Two Town police station and took away the detained activists. The Telangana protagonists staged ‘rasta roko’ demonstrations in several towns to protest the arrest. Members of the PRTU organised a rally in the town to express solidarity with the march.
Earlier, the TJAC leaders and their followers left for Hyderabad in private buses from N.G. College.
Agitators enter into arguments with police
Sangareddy Staff Reporter adds: Tension prevailed from morning at various places in the district with agitators trying their might to cross police check-posts and travel to Hyderabad, with the police trying to prevent them with force.
Barricades were erected at five places - Kandi, Patancheru, Ramachandrapuram on Mumbai National Highway, Rajiv Rahadari and Bonthapally - to prevent agitators from participating in the programme
Despite according permission to Sagara Haram, the police in Medak district prevented several activists from participating in the programme.
The police have officially confirmed that they have arrested about 80 persons who tried to violate orders and go to Hyderabad.
Members of the ‘Medak Zilla 1969 Udyamakarula Porata Sagham’ led by R. Subhaschander participated in a rally held at Sangareddy and proceeded towards Hyderabad to participate in the rally.
At many places, the agitators entered into arguments with the police to allow them to proceed towards Hyderabad but to no avail.
TRS leaders R. Durgaiah, Lakshma Reddy, Yellam Yadav and others were arrested by the police at Kondapaka. Agitators were also prevented at Mulugu check-post. Fifty persons were reportedly arrested at Dubbak, while around 20 persons were arrested in Sangareddy.
TRS legislator T. Hairsh Rao alleged that the police are turning away people at check-posts stating that there is no permission for the rally. He demanded that those arrested by the police should be released immediately.
Activists detained
Adilabad Staff Reporter adds: Police set up check posts at all exit points in the district towards the capital city where the Telangana activists were detained at least for some time.
Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna (TRS), who was leading a group of his party activists, was stopped by the police at Soan bridge and prevented from proceeding towards Hyderabad. The activists were allowed to go only after the MLA called Superintendent of Police S. Tripathi. They later participated in the march.
Another group of 10 activists from Telangana Teachers Joint Action Committee were detained at Bhiknoor in Nizamabad district. They were taken to Tadvai police station and released after five hours.
Check posts
Mahabubnagar Correspondent writes: Scores of activists of TRS, BJP, CPI, TPF, CPI New Democracy, TJAC and other pro-Telangana parties have been arrested by the police at several towns in the district. The Telangana supporters were detained for few hours and later were let free. The seized vehicles are still under the possession of police.
Police parties that were deployed on all the roads, including on the National Highway 44, that leads to Hyderabad, have undertook the task of seizing the vehicles and arresting Telangana protagonists.
The district police authorities have set up check posts at Jadcharla, Thimmapoor and Kadthal. The activists were arrested at Kollapoor, Wanaparthy, Mahabubnagar and other Assembly segment headquarters.
Mahabubnagar BJP MLA, Yennam Srinivas Reddy, who was on his way to Hyderabad along with his supporters, was detained near rural police station. Protesting against his detention, he and his supporters undertook a dharna in front of the police station.
Telangana agitators at Achampet partially damaged the statues of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in protest against the arrests.
140 vehicles stopped
Nizamabad Staff Reporter adds: Despite the cancellation of several trains and buses and imposition of restrictions on the movement of private vehicles, tens and thousands of Telangana activists left for Hyderabad to participate in the march.
Different JACs which are part of the T-JAC made their arrangements on their own to participate in the march. It was said that between 6,000 and 8,000 people left the district to participate in the march. However, the police stopped their vehicles at check posts for some time and allowed them to proceed later.
According to the T-JAC district chairman I. Gopala Sarma, the police stopped at least 140 vehicles at the Baswapur check-post on the NH-44 for a couple of hours. BJP floor leader in the Assembly, Yendala Lakshminarayana, and several others were taken into custody.
At Masanpally check-post, at least 50 persons were prevented from going ahead, said reports. Earlier in the day, before leaving for Hyderabad, TNGOs and lawyers took out processions, while the TDP functionaries held protest demonstration against alleged police repression at the Court Centre.
