JOIN USThe two-month-long peaceful Samaikyandhra agitation turned violent on Friday, a day after the Union Cabinet okayed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, as agitators targeted properties of Congress leaders and offices of political parties in almost all the 13 districts of Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, jointly called as Seemandhra.
Normal life was thrown out of gear as agitators burnt tyres and wooden logs, obstructing road traffic right from the early hours of Friday in various places, including the holy town of Tirumala where the Brahmostavam festival in Tirumala was affected.
Pilgrims found it difficult to reach the temple town due to lack of transport.
People from all walks of life participated in the general strike called by the Joint Action Committee of employees and 72 hour bandh call given by the YSRC.
Shops and business establishments remained closed and vehicles were off the road. Private buses and other modes of transport preferred to stay off the roads.
Hotels and small time eateries also remained closed in many parts of Seemandhra.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from Vijayawada, Vizianagaram, Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool. In Vijayawada, central government establishments were targeted. Agitators sat on railway tracks in Vijayawada and Done in Kurnool district, delaying a few trains.
In Vizianagaram district, properties belonging to Andhra Pradesh Congress unit chief Botsa Satyanarayana bore the brunt as students and youth pelted stones at his residence, camp office and an Engineering college in Vizianagaram town.
Police launched several rounds of baton charge on the agitating crowds, mostly students.
TDP workers tried to stage a demonstration in front of the residence of Speaker N Manohar in Tenali of Guntur district but were dispersed. The protesters also targeted residences of several Union and state ministers and MPs.
A complete bandh was observed in Anantapur barring stray incidents of violence.
Protesters threw stones on shops and business establishments in Dharmavaram and laid siege to the AP Transco substation.
At Saptagiri Circle in Anantapur, YSR Congress workers reportedly hurled chairs and stones at a TDP rally.
At Jagadamba circle in Visakhapatnam, TDP and YSR Congress activists clashed, forcing police to use mild lathi charge.
From Srikakulam to Nellore, agitators laid siege to the Kolkata-Chennai national highway.
Protesters squatted on the rail-cum-road bridge on Godavari near Rajamundry, while miscreants stoned the ticket booking office at Kadapa railway station.
In Kurnool, a group of advocates went on a rampage, attacking the District Congress Office and posters and banners of the ruling party. After some time, a group of students carried out a second round of attack throwing eggs and tomatoes at the office.
More than six lakh government employees, teachers and workers are on an indefinite strike since 13 August to protest the July 30 decision of the Congress party to create a separate Telangana state.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the law and order situation in the state with in charge DGP Prasada Rao, Home secretary and senior police officials on Friday afternoon, and asked the police to handle the situation carefully. He told them not to use even a single rubber bullet.
Camp office sources said the chief minister, at the same time, wanted the officials to protect government and private properties and maintain peace and tranquility.