Pre-Garjana arrests punctuate Khammam bandh

Khammam, Jan. 2: The Saturday's bandh called by Maoists in support of separate Telangana evoked a lukewarm response in the district on Saturday. The traders closed their shops and business establishments at some places in the Agency area. The APSRTC also suspended the services to Sileru, Markodu and Gundala areas. About ten bus services were stopped from Friday in these routes as a precautionary measure.However, all banks, insurance and Government offices functioned normally and the cinema theatres continued the shows as usual at plain areas in the district.

Following the bandh call by Maoists, combing operations were stepped up in the Agency where the Maoist activities are intense. Armed police forces were deployed to protect Government assets in Charla, Chintooru, Manuguru, Ellandu, Bayyaram, Gundala and Tekulapalli areas on Khammam-Warangal and Andhra-Chattisgarh borders. Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar supervised the bandobust.The police, on other hand, kept a close watch on the student activities in the district.

 They have been searching in colleges and hostels for trouble-makers since Friday night and about 200 students have been taken into police custody. About 10 students of Agricultural Collage at Aswarao Peta were taken into preventive custody in view of Sunday's 'Maha Garjana' in Hyderabad.Telangana Joint Action Committee leader Kanaka Chary condemned the arrests and alleged that the police were trying to weaken the students' stir by these arrests. “We are evolving a plan to organize a massive rally with students from Khammam town on Tuesday,” he announced.