Telangana activists pelt stones at chief minister’s meet

HYDERABAD - Telangana activists went on the rampage Friday, pelting stones at a public meeting addressed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and damaging 15 vehicles in Nalgonda district of Telangana region.

A few policemen, including a deputy superintendent, were injured when protesters resorted to throwing stones at a meeting the chief minister was addressing as part of “Racchabanda”, a government programme aimed at taking the administration to the doorsteps of people.

Tension prevailed at Kondamalley Palli in Nalgonda district as the police resorted to baton charge and burst tear gas shells to control the mob, which damaged 15 government vehicles.

For the second consecutive day, the protesters disrupted the chief minister’s meeting, demanding the central government table a bill in parliament during the budget session to carve out a separate Telangana state.

Raising slogans of “Jai Telangana”, the activists of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and other groups fighting for a separate state resorted to stone pelting when the police stopped them outside the venue, police said.

Hundreds of armed policemen deployed to provide security to the chief minister and other ministers attending the meet, retaliated with baton charge and firing of tear gas shells.

Due to the violence outside the venue, the chief minister had to cut short his speech and distribution of assets among beneficiaries under various welfare schemes.

Earlier in the day, Kiran Kumar Reddy had to face similar protest by Telangana activists at Maheswaram in Ranga Reddy district.

The chief minister’s public meeting was also disrupted by protesters in Mahaboobnagar district on Thursday.

The TRS, BJP and other constituents of Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) have been disrupting the programme for the last four days in various parts of Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana. They alleged that the fortnight long programme was aimed at weakening the ongoing movement for a separate state.

The protesters disrupted Racchabanda in several towns and villages Friday and attacked the convoys of a minister and a few legislators of the ruling Congress party. They prevented officials from entering some villages by putting up hurdles on the roads.