Scores taken into custody ahead of 'Chalo Assembly' rally in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Scores of activists and members of Left and different social organisations were taken into preventive custody on Wednesday as police foiled their attempts to march towards Telangana Legislative Assembly here as part of the 'Chalo Assembly' rally.
Protesting against the killings of Shruthi and Vidyasagar, both CPI (Maoist) underground cadres, in a recent exchange of fire in Warangal district of the state, Left parties and other Human Rights organisations under the aegis of 'Telangana Democratic Forum' had given a call for 'Chalo Assembly' today.
However, Hyderabad Police had denied them permission to hold the rally on the grounds that 'Telangana Democratic Forum' was formed at the instance of CPI (Maoist) Party and this programme was being organised in support of the furtherance of the cause and the ideology of CPI (Maoist).
The ongoing monsoon session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly is currently underway and police has made elaborate security arrangements around the Assembly premises besides imposing prohibitory orders.
It is reliably learnt that, 'Chalo Assembly' call was given at the instance of CPI (Maoist) to support its cause, as such the cadres, supporters, and activists of all Mass Organisations of CPI (Maoist) Party from the affected areas of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra-Odisha Border are likely to reach Hyderabad in large numbers, a senior official said.
"These extremist elements are likely to indulge in large scale violence and disturb public peace and tranquillity," Deputy Commissioner V B Kamalasan Reddy said while denying the permission for the rally.
Leaders from TDF, including CPI (M) and CPI state secretaries Tammineni Veerabhadram and Chada Venkata Reddy among several others, condemning the killings, raised slogans against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and squatted on the road near Baghlingampally from where the rally was proposed to start.
Police immediately swung into action and packed off the protesters into vehicles. Revolutionary poet Varavara Rao was among those who were taken into preventive custody.
Similarly, at Osmania University campus, police thwarted attempts by a group of protesting students to march towards Assembly. There were reports of protests in Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda districts of the state.
Assistant Commissioner of Police J Narasaiah said "the 'Chalo Assembly' protest rally has been foiled. Over 250 protestors including Left party leaders, Chada Venkat Reddy and T Veerabhadram besides revolutionary poet Varavara Rao were taken into preventive custody."
Meanwhile, an unidentified man attempted to pour kerosene on himself near Telangana Assembly building. However, police immediately intervened and took him away in a vehicle.
"The moment he attempted to pour kerosene on himself, our people caught hold of him and immediately took him away in a vehicle. We are collecting more information," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police M Ram Mohan Rao said.
"It is still not clear whether he was a protester of 'Chalo Assembly' rally," the senior police officer said.
