Telangana protest: Hyderabad turned into a fortress

10,000 state policemen and 2,000 Central paramilitary force personnel have been deployed in view of the protest

The Andhra Pradesh capital was today turned into a fortress with 10,000 policemen from the state and 2,000 Central paramilitary force personnel deployed in view of the 'Chalo Assembly' protest called by pro-Telangana parties.

Police have denied permission for the protest and imposed prohibitory orders in the limits of Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police Commissionerates which will be in force till 6 AM on June 15.

A number of roads leading to the Legislative Assembly in central part of the city have either been closed or traffic diverted. Office-goers and others had a tough time in view of the restrictions.

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has regulated its services, while the South Central Railway has cancelled or partially cancelled its local trains. A number of educational institutions have declared a holiday today.

The students of Osmania University sought to march to the Assembly but they were stopped by the security personnel.

Fearing law and order problems, about 10,000 policemen from the state and 20 companies of central para-military forces comprising 2000 personnel deployed for security arrangements.

TRS, BJP and Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), under whose auspices the protest is being organised, have alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government has "unleashed repressive measures to put down the Telangana agitation."

Maintaining that they intend to organise the protest peacefully to voice the separate statehood demand, the leaders of TRS, BJP and the JAC had sought permission for the rally from the government.

Lok Sabha members G Vivek and Manda Jagannath, who recently joined TRS, sought to move towards the Assembly from a club opposite the Assembly building, but they were taken away by the police.

Vivek alleged that the state government has adopted repressive measures to suppress the agitation.

Telangana JAC chairman M Kodandaram said the Telangana supporters scored moral victory as they succeeded in expressing the separate statehood demand.

Many MLAs could not reach the Assembly and only those in support of the Telangana demand could come there, he claimed.