Protests against Andhra Pradesh bifurcation enter 7th day

Hyderabad, Aug 6: Agitating against the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, Samaikyandhra supporters on Tuesday continued with their week-long protest across coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Protesters belonging to different organisations supporting united Andhra Pradesh took out huge rallies and resorted to road blockades at several places as the protests entered the seventh day today. Seemandhra employees boycotted duties and took out a rally in the Secretariat premises here to protest the decision for creation of Telangana state.

The protesters, under the aegis of Secretariat Seemandhra Employees Forum, raised slogans like 'Hyderabad belongs to all' and 'we want justice'. In Anantapur, agitators stopped a passenger train at the railway station there. Supporters of united Andhra Pradesh took out a bike rally in Anantapur town and also staged demonstrations in towns like Dharmavaram and Penukonda.

The advocates cooked food on road blocking the way for vehicles in front of the court in the city. "The protests are continuing today also, however, in a peaceful manner. No one has been taken into custody," Anantapur Superintendent of Police S Shyam Sunder told PTI. In Kurnool and Nellore districts, the protesters cooked food on roads besides taking out massive rallies and blocking roads.

Members of AP non-gazetted officers association and students held a protest near the residence of Union minister Panabaka Lakshmi and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu in Nellore against the move to divide Andhra Pradesh. A massive rally involving heavy vehicles, tractors and auto rickshaws was held in Chittoor district while some protesters burnt tyres on the roads.

In Rayachoti, Rajampet, Produttoor towns of Kadapa district, the protesters, including hundreds of women, took out rallies in support of their demands, besides cooking food on roads. Similar protests were also continuing in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts.

PTI