TDP stages dharna; 200 activists arrested

Hyderabad, June 13: More than 200 Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists, including senior leaders, were arrested today when they attempted to lay a seige to 'Jala Vihar' (irrigation projects chief engineer's office), demanding that the government stop diversion of Godavari water from Telangana to other regions of the state.

The city police had deployed adequate police personnel to prevent any untoward incident at Jala Vihar.

Shouting slogans, ''Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy down, down'' and ''stop the construction of Dummugudem project on Godavari,'' the TDP activists squatted on the busy Khairatbad road, causing traffic congestion for more than two hours.

Police arrested TDP leaders Devendar Goud, K Srihari, G Sukhendar Reddy and Y Dayakar Rao along with other activists and sent them to Goshamal stadium.

Earlier, talking to newspersons, Mr Goud alleged that the construction of projects on Godavari river by the government would create water problems in backward Telangana region.

Demanding that the government complete the pending projects on Godavari river in Telangana, he threatened that the party would launch an intensive stir against the government if it did not respond positively to their demands.

UNI