Protests continue outside US consulate in Hyderabad

Protests continued near the US consulate here for the second consecutive day Friday against the ill-treatment meted out by the US authorities to Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York.

Tension prevailed and vehicular traffic was disrupted in the busy Begumpet area as activists of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were stopped by police from marching towards the consulate.

Scores of TDP activists, including former minister T. Srinivas Yadav, were arrested by police. The TDP leader demanded that the US government immediately tender an unconditional apology for the incident.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also staged a protest near the consulate, condemning the humiliation meted out to the Indian diplomat. The protesters were stopped by police when they tried to remove barricades and advanced towards Paigah Palace, housing the consulate.

The protesters raised slogans against the US and carried placards condemning the ill-treatment meted out by US authorities to Devyani, a senior diplomat serving in the Indian Consulate General in New York. They also set afire an effigy of US President Barack Obama.

The Left parties and their affiliated students' organisations had Thursday tried to lay siege to the consulate. Dozens of protesters were arrested by police.