The Seemandhra agitation in several districts against the Cabinet note on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh turned violent on Friday, with properties and vehicles being attacked and set on fire, stones being pelted and the police having to resort to lathicharges and teargas to disperse enraged mobs.
The Seemandhra agitation in several districts against the Cabinet note on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh turned violent on Friday, with properties and vehicles being attacked and set on fire, stones being pelted and the police having to resort to lathicharges and teargas to disperse enraged mobs. PCC president and minister Botsa Satyanarayana bore the brunt of the angry protesters who attacked his properties. Several of his offices and properties of his relatives were set on fire or damaged in Vizainagaram. Satya Degree College run by him was ransacked and Congress offices in the town and in Garividi were damaged. EPDCL employees snapped power connections to Mr Satyanarayana’s house and his Satya cable network in Vizainagaram was set on fire. Fire tenders that attempted to douse the fire were also attacked. Normal life was disrupted due to the 72-hour bandh call given by YSCRP and the 48-hour bandh declared by the Joint Action Committees. The police resorted to caning and firing of teargas shells in several parts of Seemadhra region to control the agitators who went on a rampage. The north Coastal Andhra districts of Vizainagaram, Srikakulam and Rayalaseema and Kurnool and Anantapur witnessed the most violence. Students and youth set properties on fire, damaged buses and attacked properties. The situation was serious enough in certain districts for the state government to request the Centre to airlift 25 more companies of the Central paramilitary forces to the state. CRPF inspector-general N.R.K. Reddy said, “The state has asked for 25 more companies. We are yet to get communication from headquarters.” DGP B. Prasada Rao said that the situation is under control in the region, except for sporadic incidents of violence. The state police has decided to place the additional forces in Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada and Kurnool. However, in view of the election schedule announced in five states today, it is not yet clear how many forces will be spared for the state. Shops and business establishments were closed and vehicles were off the road as life was paralysed in Seemandhra. Central government establishments were targeted. The police had to fire teargas shells more than 10 times and resorted to caning. Irate agitators pelted stones at the police and a sub-inspector of police received minor injuries. Agitators also damaged at least seven police vehicles. The police later imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144. At Jagadamba circle in Visakhapatnam, TDP and YSR Congress activists clashed, forcing the police to resort to a mild cane charge. In Kurnool, a group of advocates went on the rampage attacking the district Congress office. Protesters threw stones on shops and business establishments in Dharmavaram in Anantapur district and laid siege to the AP Transco substation. YSRCP and Telugu Desam party activists pelted stones at each other near Sapthagiri circle when YSR Congress party activists confronted a rally by Telugu Desam party activists. Police forces were rushed to the spot to disburse the mobs. The Congress party office at Rayadurg in Anantapuir was attacked and the furniture set on fire.
