Sakala Janula Samme: Telangana Bandh Peaceful

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) called one day Bandh as part of Sakala Janula Samme on Monday - 17 October 2011 - was total in districts and went on peacefully with normal life coming to grinding halt in the region. However, the bandh was partial in Hyderabad as shops, business establishments were open and autos plied normally.

Public transport system was paralysed as state-run RTC buses were confined to depots in the other districts districts of Telangana region. Educational institutions were closed, as also commercial establishments, banks, petrol bunks, cinema theatres and offices. However, there was no disruption of train services. Fearing attacks by protesters, police stopped the buses coming from Andhra region to Hyderabad at Madhira in Khammam, Kodad in Nalgonda and diverted them.

Congress workers and leaders joined hands with TRS and political JAC activists to enforce bandh in Karimnagar district. In Khammam district, 629 buses were restricted to six depots. CPI workers locked the gates of Bhadrachalam bus depot to see that no bus is taken out. Windowpanes of some buses were damaged at Jagjivanram crossroads in Mahbubnagar, while protestors staged dharnas at Nirmal, Manchiryal, Adilabad, Asifabad in support of the bandh. In Masanpally in Kalheru mandal in Medak district, the agitators staged a rasta roko as nearly 580 buses remained confined to seven depots in the district. Autos plied in Nizamabad district, while hotels, cinema halls, petrol bunks, banks, schools, colleges and other educational institutions remained closed throughout the day.

In Warangal district, restaurants and roadside tea stalls also closed. TRS activists took out a two-wheeler rally at Warangal, Hanamkonda and Kazipet. In the district, 913 buses remained confined to nine depots. Protesters attacked a petrol bunk and damaged the glasspanes at Tirupally. A number of caste associations organised rallies from Hanamkonda crossroads to Adalath junction in support of Sakala Janula Samme, which entered 35th day on Monday.