JANGAON (WARANGAL): Skirmishes between the police and protesters demanding a new Jangaon district on Saturday resulted in as many as 40 persons being arrested and a local BJP leader hospitalised after he fell off a police vehicle while being shifted to a police station.
Local BJP leader K.V.L.N. Reddy’s condition is said to be serious. Heavy police forces were deployed and protesters arrested as and when seen on the roads on the second day of protests for the new district. Section 144 has been imposed on Jangaon division.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, JAC members vowed to continue their agitation till Jangaon district is formed and called for a bandh on Saturday. Rural SP Ambar Kishor Jha said anyone causing trouble to civilians would not be spared.
Additional police forces were drafted from Mahbubabad, Nellikuduru and Narsampet. Though the bandh was peaceful during the morning hours, protesters started marching towards Jangaon junction in groups.
Among them was Reddy who reached Jangaon junction with some ABVP activists and started shouting slogans. He was arrested and was being shifted to the police station in a DCM when he accidentally fell off the moving vehicle.
He sustained a head injury and was initially treated at the Jangaon area hospital and later shifted to the MGM hospital. Meanwhile, JAC leaders said the police arrested anyone found on the road. They said that police started arresting JAC leaders from the wee hours of Saturday and registered cases against them.
Elsewhere, two students -— Bakka Srinu and Shiva Raju Yadav — attempted self-immolation at the Ambedkar statue but the police arrested them immediately.
