Violence in Andhra as Kapus launch stir for quota

Violence broke out in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district on Sunday as thousands of protestors from Kapu caste set afire a train and blocked rail and road traffic, police said.

The protestors also set afire a police station in Tuni, a town in East Godavari district, about 100 km from Visakhapatnam.

All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and the vehicular traffic on Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protestors squatted on the tracks and the highway.

The violence broke out around 3 p.m. during a massive public meeting organized by Kapu State Committee at Tuni to demand the government to include Kapus in the backward classes list and provide them reservation. Kapu leaders declared that they will not leave tracks and highways till the government issues an order to meet their demand.

Soon the protestors marched towards the track and stopped Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express near Tuni railway station. They attacked the engine and set afire eight bogies after ordering passengers to get down.

A railway official said no one was injured in the incident but the passengers including women and children ran in panic.

The protestors later attacked Tuni railway station and ransacked the furniture. Four railway employees were injured.

The agitators also set afire Tuni rural police station. Five policemen were injured in the stone pelting.

Dozens of trains were stopped at various stations in coastal Andhra due to the violence and the presence of protestors on the track.

With situation going out of control, additional forces were rushed to the region. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called an emergency meeting of his cabinet colleagues and top officials in Vijayawada.

Trouble began soon after M. Padmanabham, a senior leader Kapu leader, announced at the public meeting that they will not tolerate any further delay.

"We will not move from highways and tracks till the government issues an order," he said amid loud cheers from tens of thousands who had gathered from different parts of the state.

The Kapu leaders were angry with the ruling TDP for not implementing its poll promise to include Kapus in BC list.