Mixed response to Telangana bandh

A bandh called in support of separate Telangana state evoked a mixed response in the region today and was largely peaceful.

The shutdown, called by Telangana Praja Front (TPF) and student organisations demanding that the Centre concede the statehood demand without attaching conditions, evoked poor response in the state capital, but its impact was felt partially in the region.

"The bandh went off peacefully in the city," Hyderabad Police Commissioner told PTI.

A group of pro-Telangana activists was prevented from taking out a rally near Tank Bund here while around100 students participated in a rally on the Osmania University campus, police said.

A few private educational institutions in parts of the city and Telangana districts remained closed. However, state- run RTC buses operated normally even as most shops, business establishments and petrol bunks remained open in Hyderabad, where vehicular traffic was largely unaffected.

Reports from Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Medak districts said the bandh was partial and peaceful.

The response was moderate in Warangal and Khammam districts, DIG (Warangal Range) Kanta Rao said.

RTC cut down its bus services and Government offices worked as usual while advocates abstained from court duty in Karimnagar. In Adilabad, except for closure of a few private schools, the bandh had little impact.

There were no reports of any untoward incidents anywhere in Telangana, police added.