Andhra capital row: People hold sit-in protest after police stopped them at Rayapudi

The Rayapudi villagers on Friday held a sit-in protest after police stopped them from going to Uddandrayuni Palem here.

Section 144 has been imposed in Uddandrayuni Palem in the wake of locals' protest demanding to retain Amaravati as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Talking to ANI, Rajeshwari, a villager said: "Women from at least 29 villages are here and we planned a 'padayatra' from Uddandrayuni Palem to Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada. We are in support of those who protest against three capitals in the state. We want Amaravati as the only capital of the state."

"Today only people from 29 villages are here. However, women from all the districts will join the protest. We aren't asking anything more. The Andhra Pradesh government should pay heed to our demands," she added.

Ramakrishna, another villager, alleged that they were going to seek blessings from the Kanaka Durga temple and didn't create any disturbance to anyone.

In another incident, clashes broke out between the police and villagers in Tulluru village on Friday.

The women from the area had planned a march from Uddandrayuni Palem village to Goddess Kanakadurga's temple in Vijayawada.

The police said that no permission had been given for a march to the villagers, which is why they had blocked the roads.