The Krishna district countryside, which is usually dominated by the agrarian concerns either due to lack of water or basic inputs normally, presented a different picture this season with the farmers busy with a contrasting job cut-out for them to protect their Statehood so that they do not face irrigation water crisis in the days/years to come.
The presence of a huge posse of State and Central paramilitary forces has become order of the day to ward off any effort to disturb the law and order in the rural areas too due to the UPA decision on bifurcation of the State.
A security blanket was spread in entire district - both in semi-urban and urban pockets - to control the agitating groups in Nandigama, Gudivada, Mylavaram, Tiruvuru, Gudivada, Avanigadda, Jaggaiahpeta, Machilipatnam, Vijayawada and other places in the district is giving a different look all together of the rural Krishna. Police pickets have been posted round-the-clock at many places that have been witnessing agitations day-in and day-out. Director General of Police (DGP) V. Dinesh Reddy, who had reviewed the arrangements for panchayat elections in coastal districts last month, also took stock of the police bandobust needs, prior to the UPA announcement on bifurcation.
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Security personnel, in colourful outfit totting an LMG or gun has, become the common scenario. About five companies of special strike force, ten companies of strike force and Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) platoons are ensuring peace, though there was never any incident of arson or violence in the past six days of pro-united Andhra Pradesh agitation in this part of Seemandhra.
Statues’ protection
The focus of the Krishna district police has been on ensuring protection of the statues of several national and State leaders as the pro-Andhra agitators are targeting them everywhere. Superintendent of Police J. Prabhakara Rao had even issued a stern warning and para-military forces had been guarding majority of the key statues.
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“We instructed the Central and APSP police to maintain restraint as the issue was emotionally charged. The CRPF and BSF jawans were directed not to use rubber bullets and tear gas shells and quell the mobs by wielding lathis, if the situation went out of hands,” said the SP.
South Central Railway Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Pradeep Kumar said that one CRPF company (80 jawans) was positioned at the railway stations to prevent any damage of railway property. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) were also asked to undertake track patrolling, said Mr. Pradeep Kumar.