Hyderabad: Massive protests continued across the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions on Sunday against the division of Andhra Pradesh with police rushing student leaders, observing hunger strike on Andhra University campus in Vizag, to hospital in view of their deteriorating health.
In Guntur, a 20-year-old youth, identified as Imran Khan, attempted to commit suicide for united Andhra Pradesh by setting himself on fire during a TDP-backed agitation, police said.
Upping their ante, supporters of united Andhra Pradesh organised road and rail blockades, human chains, rallies with black flags, sit-ins, community kitchens and formed human chains at a number of towns and places in these two regions.
To show their resentment to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the agitators even held half-naked protests at some places.
Shops and commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed at various places.
According to reports, people faced difficulty in withdrawing money from ATMs and getting petrol and diesel due to united Andhra movement.
The activists of TDP and YSRCP also held protests at several places.
The Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers association (APNGOs) demanded in Vijayawada that all public representatives in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, irrespective of party afflliations, must quit their posts in support of `Samaikyandhra` (united Andhra) cause by August 12.
The association would go for strike from the night of August 12 otherwise, APNGOs leader Ashok Babu said.
A tense situation prevailed at the Andhra university campus in Visakhapatam when police forcibly shifted the student leaders, sitting on hunger strike against the division of the state, to hospital as their sugar, BP and water levels dipped in the wake of fast.
The student JAC leaders have been on a hunger strike from June 30 at the Andhra University here.
A report from Kadapa said people from various sections, including private and government employees, held rallies and dharnas to oppose the proposed Telangana state.
In Anantapur district of Rayalaseema region, rallies were held by common people, government employees and advocates to mark their protest against division of the state.
In Guntur, an autorickshaw driver allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide fearing that getting job in Hyderabad will be a tough task post division, police said.
In East Godavari district, demonstrations were held at Amalapuram, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Tuni, Peddapuram and other places for united Andhra Pradesh.
The East and West Godavari Bar Association Lawyers Joint Action Committee (JAC) lodged a complaint today against Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) for his alleged remarks about non-Telangana region employees working in Hyderabad.
Petrol pumps remained closed in some areas and even the state transport corporation operated skeletal service in the wake of protests.
The Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) Association in Vijayawada has urged the public representatives from Andhra and Rayalaseema to submit their resignations by August 12, failing which they would launch an agitation.
The association members met here today, to protest the decision to create separate Telangana, its president P Ashok Babu said.
PTI
