Bandh paralyses life in Visakha agency

= Public and private transport came to a halt
= Business establishments and schools remained closed
= Tribals demand not to accord ST status to Boya and Valmiki communities
= Urge government to set up Tribal University

Visakhapatnam: Normal life was paralysed in the Visakhapatnam agency area following a call given by the Andhra Pradesh Girijan Sangham (APGS) supported by Left parties to observe demanding the government not to include Boya and Valmiki communities into ST category.

The Visakhapatnam agency area, which is the biggest scheduled area in the state with 11 revenue mandals, observed the bandh voluntarily. No untoward incident was reported during the bandh.

Supporting the bandh, commercial establishments, educational institutions and restaurants remained closed. The RTC also minimised and rescheduled its services. The private operators, including auto-rickshaws, jeeps and vans, stopped the services. The APGS and Left parties propagated about the cause of the bandh into the most interior parts of the agency.

In view of the bandh, a huge number of police were deployed at sensitive areas and section 144 was imposed at the one of the most attractive tourist spots Araku. Meanwhile, police arrested a few tribal leaders in Paderu, the bandh was observed at all the 11 mandalsDuring the bandh, the tribal leaders and followers raised slogans against the state government and demanded withdrawal of proposal to accord ST status to Boya and Valmiki sects.

They also raised slogans for immediate sanction of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and establishment of Tribal University, as per the announcements in the AP Re-organisation Bill-2014.