4 Telangana activists picked up

Hyderabad, Mar 15 (UNI) Four Telangana activists were picked up by police when they tried to celebrate Holi here allegedly without permission.

A group of Telangana activists and Telangana Vidyarti Sangam members gathered near the Arts College in Osmania University this morning and started celebrating Holi according to Telangana custom.

Police objected as they had not taken prior permission for the celebrations. When the revellers resisted, police resorted to mild lathicharge.

Later, Prof Kondandaram (Osmania University), journalist Pasham Yadagiri and two students were picked up by the police.

On intervention of Musheerabad Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA Nayyani Narsimha Reddy, the activists were let off.

Later, talking to the media, Mr Reddy said police cannot stop anybody from celebrating a festival in a particular manner.

TRS would raise the issue in the Assembly on March 16.

The party also planned to meet Andhra Pradesh Governor and submit a memorandum, he added.

Meanwhile, six Holi revellers, including two children, drowned in different incidents in Andhra Pradesh today.

Police said Prasad (23) drowned in Surararam Tank in Jeedimetla area when he accidentally fell into it. Youth drowned in Petbasheebagh tank on the city's outskirts.

In Kurnool district, four people, including two school students were washed away in KC canal.

In Ranga Reddy district, two people went missing when they went to have a dip at Tamara stream near Kesaragutta. In Khammam, four people of Manuguru who went for a bath in Godavari river were missing.

In Adilabad district in Mancherial Mandal two people were reported to have gone missing in Godavari River today.

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