Firing claims 8; Left told to make stir 'democratic'

Hyderabad, July 28 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy today asked the Left parties to maintain restraint to prevent any untoward incidents and urged them to organise the agitation ''in a democratic way and not to instigate the people.'' He also asked the Khammam district police to maintain restraint and avoid resorting to lathicharge and firing on the people who were staging dharnas and road blockades during agitations.

Eight persons, including a woman, were killed and eight others injured, three of them critically, when police fired to quell a stone-pelting mob at Mudigonda village in Khammam district as the bandh turned violent.

Meanwhile, Health Minister S Chandrasekar, who represents Palair constituency in the Assembly in which Mudigonda village is located, told reporters that the Left parties were ''responsible'' for the police firing.

UNI