Hyderabad:
On Day 2 of the rail roko agitation called by pro-Telangana groups in Andhra Pradesh, the state government has toughened its stand and imposed prohibitory orders till October 26 in Hyderabad. Schools have also been warned if they don't reopen tomorrow, they will be derecognised.
The rail roko agitation is continuing for a second day today, despite the arrest of several protesters yesterday. After a major showdown yesterday, many separate state votaries, including Congress MPs Ponnam Prabahakar and S Rajaiah, were arrested and sent to jail. Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA Harish Rao was also sent to two weeks in jail. Cases under the Railway Protection Act and under section 151 and section 353 were also booked against hundreds of protesters.
However, today TRS MP Vijayashanti and MLA KT Rama Rao were released on bail.
The second day of the rail roko agitation called by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS)-led pro-Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) saw virtually no rail traffic on the tracks in the Telangana districts of Andhra Pradesh. However, it wasn't so much because protesters physically disrupted trains but, because, as a precautionary measure the railway authorities had cancelled or diverted most trains.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee has, meanwhile, called for bandh on October 17 against the police action. They also said that the 'rail roko' agitation will continue for three days. Autos are also going on a strike from midnight for 24 hours. (
Read: Telangana crisis: Bandh called on Monday)
The Telangana Congress leaders are angry at the stringent action taken by the state police, and have blamed Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.