Telangana bandh cripples normal life

Hyderabad, Feb 22: Normal life was badly affected in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh as the 48-hour bandh called by Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) in support of their demand for early introduction of a bill for formation of a separate state, began today.

Schools, colleges, shops and commercial establishments remained closed and public transport buses largely remained off the roads.

People who arrived in the city from far off places at the Secunderabad railway station, headquarters of South Central Railway, and the Mahatma Gandhi bus station here had to face difficulties in reaching their destinations as city buses and auto rickshaws were not available.

The state government employees in Telangana region have already launched a non-cooperation agitation in support of the separate statehood demand.

Police made elaborate security arrangements and imposed traffic restrictions near the state assembly buildings in view of the bandh.

The students had clashed with security personnel in the Osmania University here yesterday as they were prevented from marching ahead to the House for ''laying siege to the Assembly'' programme. Also, buses and a local railway station was damaged allegedly by pro-Telangana lawyers and others.

According to reports from Telangana districts like Karimnagar and Medak, normal life was severely affected due to the shutdown. There were no major reports of violence from anywhere in the region in the morning hours.

The bandh supporters held rallies at various places across the region. The shutdown has been called by JAC comprising TRS, BJP and a number of people''s organisations.

CPI has also extended support to the shutdown.

PTI