Three statues of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy were set ablaze by miscreants at Kokya Tanda and Jellacheruvu villages in Kusumanchi mandal and one at Valya Tanda in Khammam rural mandal on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
The incident comes close on the heels of two unidentified persons setting afire the statue of YSR at Raparthinagar in the heart of Khammam late on Tuesday night, several hours ahead of YSRC president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s scheduled public meeting in the town on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, several pro-Telangana activists were taken into preventive custody by the police on the eve of bandh called by Telangana JAC district committee protesting Mr. Jagan’s visit to Khammam. The activists owing allegiance to the constituent parties and organisations of the TJAC took out a rally here on Wednesday morning. The protesters raised slogans against Mr. Jagan accusing him of making a vain bid to scuttle the formation of Telangana State. CPI district secretary B. Hemantha Rao, CPI (ML-New Democracy) district secretary P. Ranga Rao, TRS local leaders and others took part in the rally. Meanwhile, many shops and business establishments remained closed on account of bandh till late in the afternoon. However, almost all the private schools and educational institutions functioned normally.