Title - NGOs arrested for holding rail roko

Nellore: Police have arrested a group of NGOs when they halted Chennai-bound Pinakini Express and Vijayawada-bound Jana Shatabdi Express near Kondayapalem railway gate at Nellore during a protest against Union Cabinet’s approval for the separate Telangana state note on Saturday.The Employees’ JAC protested before the Fifth Town police station demanding the release of the seven arrested NGOs. Meanwhile, normal life was paralysed following the 48-hour bandh call in Nellore for the second consecutive day.Shops, establishments, educational institutes, banks and Central government organisations such as BSNL, Postal and LIC remained closed all over the district.Traffic on the national highway came to a grinding halt for over seven hours at Sullurpeta as Samaikyandhra activists squatted on the road preventing the movement of vehicular traffic.YSR Congress cadres led by town segment in-charge, Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, torched old tyres near Gandhi statue centre after taking out a motorcycle rally. The entire area was darkened with smoke with the burning of tyres.In a novel protest Telugu Nadu Students’ Federation members performed last rites to the effigies of Union ministers from Seemandhra.Samaikya Andhra Upadhyaya Porata Samiti activists burnt the effigies of Union ministers and finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. Telugu Yuvata members led by S. Ravichandra performed cremation to the effigy of Sonia Gandhi.

States:  Andhra Pradesh