Hyderabad, February 23: Around 2,000 pro-Telangana agitators were today taken into custody after they indulged in violent protests on the first day of the two-day bandh called in the region on the statehood issue, police said.
The shutdown has been called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), which comprises political parties and people’s organisations, to demand introduction of Telangana Bill in the ongoing budget session of Parliament.
However, the situation in the 10 Telangana districts and the Andhra Pradesh capital was by and large peaceful, they claimed.
With a view to prevent disturbance and maintain law and order, 1,978 persons were taken into custody, police said.
Some private educational institutions, hotels, shops, business establishments and petrol pumps remained closed in the city.
In Hyderabad, stone pelting pro-Telangana students clashed with police on the Osmania University campus. The in-charge Vice-Chancellor of the university D N Reddy appealed for restraint and calm.
Police used teargas shells to disperse the students throwing stones on Osmania University Police Station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone) Y Gangadhar told PTI.
At least 120 pro-Telangana activists, including members of the ABVP and Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) Convener M Kodandaram, were arrested when they took out rallies in support of the bandh, he said.
Students of the Nizam College in Basheerbagh area also threw stones on policemen. Sixteen protesters were taken into custody, another police officer said.
Elsewhere, pro-Telangana supporters indulged in sporadic violence in Warangal, Medak, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and other Telangana districts. They blocked roads at 231 places, took out rallies at 124 and organised demonstrations in 69 locations, police said.
The protesters stopped trains at 16 locations in Mahabubnagar, Karimnagar, Warangal, Ranga Reddy, Adilabad, Nizamabad and Medak, they said.
The activists caused damage to several buses, including state-run ones, burnt effigies at 43 locations, climbed on cell towers/water tanks and participated in hunger- strikes as part of the protest, police said.
Pro-Telangana advocates boycotted courts in many districts, including Karimnagar.
Reports received from several Telangana districts said normal life was disrupted during the bandh. Schools, colleges, business establishments, shops, commercial complexes, petrol pumps and cinema theatres remained closed.
Transport services were badly affected as state transport corporation withdrew bus services at various places.
Bandh supporters organised “rasta roko” and dharnas on the Hyderabad-Mumbai National Highway.
Over 500 agitators, including leaders of Telangana JAC, were taken into custody in Medak district, police said.
TRS and BJP activists staged dharna and rasta roko near bus and railway stations in Karimnagar town, they said.
Pro-Telangana trade unions observed bandh in Singareni collieries, affecting the coal production.
–Agencies