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Andhra Pradesh bandh evokes good response

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderebad

The one-day Andhra Pradesh bandh called by the Congress and nine Left parties on Tuesday in protest against Monday's police firing in Hyderabad was by and large peaceful.

Two people, including a cop, were killed and several others injured when police opened fire at a violent Cong-Left rally in the state capital on Monday. The rally was part of the on-going protests against the recent power tariff hike introduced by the state government.

Senior officials in the state capital said barring sporadic incidents of violence, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state during the bandh.

Reports said a group of Left activists damaged the car of joint collector, Khammam in the morning. Congress activists stopped trains at several places in the state throwing railways schedules off track. Scores of Left activists were seen going around in smaller towns shutting shops and schools.

The Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation suspended services all over the state, barring a few buses that plied in the state capital with police escort.

Financial and other establishments, schools, colleges, petrol pumps, cinema halls remained closed in almost all the cities and towns in the state.

In the twin cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad, the bandh was almost total. Central and state government offices reported thin attendance.

In all, 18 buses were damaged and 181 persons arrested in Hyderabad and adjoining areas, police said. Agitators also burnt Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's effigies in several towns.

Meanwhile, Monday's violent incidents dominated the assembly proceedings. As soon as the Lower House assembled, Speaker K Pratibha Bharathi said that she was disallowing the adjournment motion moved by the Congress, CPI-M and the Majlis on the firing incident. However, the government agreed to allow a discussion on the matter.

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