Hyderabad, December 23: Normal life continued to remain paralyse for the 12th day on Tuesday in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions as bandhs, protest rallies, and indefinite fast agitations continued in protest against Centre’s decision to set in motion the process for formation of separate Telangana state
Tense situation prevailed at the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, with a large number of policemen throwing a security blanket following Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal surfacing at the hospital on Monday, after his disappearance from the Vijayawada Government Hospital on 20th December.
He is likely to give up his fast later in the day, reports here said.
Police thoroughly frisked each and every patient entering the hospital in the arterial Punjagutta area, both from the front and rear side, in view of the reports that the government was planning to shift TDP MLA Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and Congress MLC Y S Vivekananda Reddy, brother of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who were also on fast-unto-death, to NIMS for treatment as their condition was deteriorating.
Security had been stepped up by deploying additional forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), to maintain law and order in the area there, police sources said.
Meanwhile, the 48-hour total bandh in Chittor, called by the Congress, protesting bifurcation of the state, entered second day on Tuesday, paralysing normal life with majority of commercial establishments and educational institutions remaining closed.
Bus traffic, including at Tirumala hills, was totally affected as the agitators did not allow even pilgrims to visit the temple town.
Meanwhile, City Police Commissioner B Prasada Rao urged the supporters of both TRS and Rajagopal not to go to the hospital and cooperate with the department to maintain law and order.
He said the police would take action against those who resort to ‘dharna’ near the hospital.
Additional forces had been deployed at the hospital in view of the situation, he added.
—Agencies