Telangana violence: JAC to observe strike on October 1

, Oct 1: Violent clashes broke out between pro-

supporters and the police in several parts of Hyderabad on Sunday, with the activists torching police vehicles, pelting stones and damaging rail and private property.

Thousands of protesters defied prohibitory orders and joined the 'Telangana march' to press their demand for a separate state. A bandh has been called on Monday by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), spearheading the agitation. The Osmania University has postponed examinations scheduled for Monday.

Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said late on Sunday that "left-wing extremist groups" have infiltrated the movement and were suspected to be behind the violence. He said that SP (Intelligence) Rajashekhar was seriously injured in the clashes, which also left an inspector and 17 constables with injuries. Five protesters were injured, he added.

"There are inputs that some Left-wing extremist groups infiltrated the movement leading to attacks on private properties and other damages," Sharma told a press conference in the backdrop of violent clashes.

Sharma said the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (JAC) went back on its word to organise a peaceful march and claimed that police exercised maximum restraint in quelling the protests that involved damage to property and arson.

"We tried our best by making all arrangements and even gave the protesters specific areas, routes towards the venue - Sanjeevaiya Park on Necklace Road, but some of them tried to break the barricades at Tank Bund where immersion of Ganesha idols was going on. They also violated prohibitory rules and when the police objected, they threw stones at the police," Sharma said.

Some 25 police vehicles were damaged - of which three were torched, Sharma said. Several people, including some TDP MLAs, who were staging a dharna outside the Secretariat, had been taken into preventive custody, he added.

PTI