Cops foil Million March anniv event; Kodanda, others held

Hyderabad: Police foiled bid to observe ‘Million March’ anniversary event on Saturday, by taking into custody more than 200 leaders including TJAC Chairman Kodandaram and CPI State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy who were on their way to Tank Bund to commemorate milestone of 2011, the history of Telangana movement.

The preventive custody was initiated on Friday by 2,500 police force which was deployed in different locations across the city. About 350 check points were set up on the outskirts of the city as part of measures to foil bid of leaders from districts who intend to enter city.

Even as the barricades were placed they completely cordoned-off the entire Tank Bund area and diverted the traffic flow. The police took into custody who ever tried to cross over the barbed wires. About 90 TJAC activists along with Kodandaram were taken into custody from his residence in Tarnaka. TJAC accused the policemen of scaling the boundary walls of Kodandaram’s residence for taking him into custody.

According to police as many as 200 were taken into custody, but the activists alleged that about 600 to 700 were taken into custody in city and claimed that 3,500 were in police custody throughout the State.

CPI State Secretary who sought police permission for the programme was taken into custody from Makhdoom Bhavan, besides other leaders including former MP Aziz Pasha. Amongst the prominent leaders include Sandhya of POW, Vimalakka, the social activist, K Dileep Kumar, former MLC were taken into custody.

Meanwhile over a dozen students of Osmania University were also taken into custody from the campus. Protesting their arrests some students burnt tyres as a mark of protest against the police action.

Early in the morning vehicle checking including RTC buses were conducted at Bowenpally and other arterial roads connecting districts, while Gopalpuram police kept the tabs on passengers arriving at Secunderabad Railway Station.

There was huge presence of policemen at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, who cordoned-off the area to avoid any form of group formation. The PDSU and New Democracy leaders were arrested while they were on their way to Tank Bund. Meanwhile policemen contained the movements of Manda Krishna Madiga in view of his bandh call on March 13 with their presence near his residence in DD Colony in Amberpet.

Message reached the people: Kodandaram
Meanwhile the TJAC Chairman, who was in Bolaram police station described the protest march towards Tank Bund as a ‘success’, as the people of Telangana received the message. “All have fought for achieving Telangana, but Chief Minister was trying to make believe that he was behind formation of the separate State. Police detentions had sent a strong message to the people that KCR’s is an autocratic ruler and people will understand this,” he said.

In a media statement CPI strongly condemned the detention of its leaders. Party State Secretary, Chada Venkat Reddy alleged that Chief Minister was trying to control the people’s aspirations with the help of police. “This is against the very essence of democratic values,” he said.

CPM leadership also condemned the arrest of TJAC chairman and others. It said public meetings should not be hindered. State secretary, Thammineni Veerabhadram said peaceful meeting cannot be a security problem and TRS government should permit under the democratic set up.

MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga also accused the State government of undermining the democratic values. “People want to remember how they had fought for separate State. This is just like a milestone Quit India, Dandi March etc, which are still remembered by the people and cannot be ignored,” he noted.