Telangana bandh: 2 coaches of train set afire

Warangal (AP), Feb 23: A group of pro-Telangana activists allegedly set afire two coaches of a passenger train between Kesamudram and Thallapusanapalli stations on Wednesday afternoon (Feb 23), though no one was injured, a South Central Railway official said.

Pro-Telangana activists are observing a bandh in the region. A group of protesters stopped the Manguru Passenger train (Train No.358) at around 1540 hrs and set ablaze one of the coaches, after making the passengers get down.

"Some agitators set fire to a coach of the passenger train and it spread to another coach, however, no passenger is hurt as all passengers had alighted from the coach," SCR Chief Public Relations Officer, Chandrima Roy, told PTI.

Fire-dousing was going on, she said.

Agitators had allegedly removed fish plates of the railway track at Hasanaparthy in the district yesterday.

To intensify the agitation for separate statehood for the region, the Telangana Joint Action Committee is observing a two-day bandh in all 10 districts of Telangana since yesterday, demanding introduction of separate Telangana Bill in the ongoing budget session of Parliament.

PTI