Hyderabad: Amid resounding cries of ‘Jai Telangana’, police Friday foiled a march called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) to seek a separate Telangana but protests across the city threw normal life out of gear.
Hundreds of people including MPs, state legislators, leaders of political parties, students, lawyers, women and others were arrested in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has called for a shutdown in Telangana Saturday to condemn the crackdown. TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao demanded immediate release of all those arrested.
Traffic restrictions imposed in central Hyderabad were relaxed in the evening, providing some relief to the citizens.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Congress general secretary incharge of Andhra Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad enquired with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy about the ‘chalo assembly’ march.
The chief minister thanked the central government for providing central forces to maintain law and order.
Hyderabad had turned into a war zone with police sealing all routes leading to the Andhra Pradesh assembly to prevent protesters from laying siege to the building.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from parts of the city. Top leaders of JAC and legislators were arrested at various places for defying prohibitory orders.
While police heaved a sigh of relief over the day passing off without any major trouble, the JAC claimed a moral victory.
JAC chairman M. Kodandaram, Srinivas Goud and others were arrested when they gathered at Indira Park to march towards the assembly. (IANS)