Bandh peaceful in Kurnool city

Kurnool: The Bharath bandh call given by the Opposition parties against demonetisation of higher denomination currency notes on Monday was a sedate affair with no untoward incidents reported from any part of the city. Educational institutions remained closed for the day and some business establishments and shops voluntarily remained closed as a precautionary measure.

Agitators led by YSRCP and left parties stopped the RTC buses from plying due to which the buses were confined to depots till afternoon.

The police took around 500 agitators belonging to YSRCP, Congress, CPM and CPI into custody including the district convener G Venkata Reddy of YSR Congress Party. CPM district secretary K Prabhakar Reddy strongly condemned the act of the police personnel. He said the government was adopting unlawful practices by detaining the agitators.

He said 70 persons had died in the last 18 days since the demonetisation of big notes was announced. The Centre was responsible for their deaths, said Reddy. CPI secretary K Ramanjaneyulu said that poor people were becoming the major victims of demonetisation. He demanded that the Central government take back the decision of abolishing the big currency notes. YSRCP activists took out a motorbike rally while the Left parties organized massive rally in the city streets and Congress party performed a human girdle at Kotla circle.

District Superintendent of Police, A. Ravikrishna said that no violent incidents have been recorded except for some leaders of opposition parties being taken into custody to prevent any untoward incidents in the district.