Hyderabad, February 20: The City, particularly the State Assembly and its nearby areas, has been virtually turned into an impregnable fortress in view of the `Assembly Digbandhanam’ call given by the Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee (JAC) demanding the resignation of elected representatives of the region.
Terming the protest as `illegal and ill-advised’, City Police Commissioner A K Khan said the police would not spare those who try to create disturbance to law and order. “It is an illegal form of protest and permission was not sought. We advise students from districts not to come to the City to take part in the protest.
We also advice the managements of institutions and parents to counsel the students from not taking part in the proposed programme,’’ Khan said at a press conference today.
“Don’t take part in the protest and get yourself embroiled in cases for your own future,’’ Khan warned the students. Apart from the 12,000- odd city force, additional forces from other districts and special forces have been deployed in the City. Forces from other states and para-military forces have been already camping in the City to support the existing force. On the deployment of forces from other states and paramilitary forces, Khan said they could not call in forces from other districts in view of the prevailing law and order situation throughout the State.
“We have to ensure the security of 350-odd MLAs, MLCs and ministers and also see that the all important Budget is presented in the State Assembly,’’ the CP said adding that the police would try to use minimum use of force.
“We don’t want to impose restrictions and cause inconvenience to the people but we are forced to do it to ensure safety of general public and their property,’’ Khan said.
Not ruling out the possibility of preventive arrests by today night itself, Khan said they have identified some students who are taking active part in the protests and they might be picked up.
Police, however, left the option of shutting down educational institutes and private offices to their own. “It is for them (institutions) to take a decision on their own keeping in view the prevailing situation and the anticipated trouble,’’ Khan said.
–Agencies