Alert cops foil bandh call

Kakinada/Rajahmundry/Eluru: The police in both East and West Godavari Districts foiled the bandh call given by Opposition parties YSR Congress and Leftist parties over the Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu’s statement about not giving special category status to AP. The police made the line clear for RTC Buses to run and several shops remained open for business. However, the agitators took out processions, raasta rokos and bike rallies across two Godavari districts.

Cops arrested as many as 1,731 agitators and booked 89 cases against the agitators in these districts on Sunday. According to sources, the YSR Congress leaders reached the RTC complex in the early hours on Sunday. But the police officials who were already present at the spot prevented them from stopping RTC buses and made quick arrests. The police then directed the RTC personnel to run the buses as usual. Shops at Kakinada and Rajahmundry have also not been closed today. But in Eluru, some shops voluntarily closed. Being a second Saturday, the schools, colleges and government offices remained closed today. However, some of the leaders held agitations. The CPM politburo member B.V. Raghavulu staged a raasta roko and took out procession at the fire station centre. The police arrested him and also the activists.

CM N. Chandrababu Naidu’s effigy was burnt at Katheru centre by YSRC leader. Meanwhile, DCC president Kandula Durgesh staged raasta roko in Morumpudi centre. West Godavari Superintendent of Police Bashkar Bhushan said 727 agitators have been arrested and 45 cases were booked in the district. East Godavari police said 677 persons were arrested and 44 cases booked. Rajahmundry Urban cops arrested 120 persons.