RailEnquiry

1:50 pm: Anti-Telangana protests turn violent in Vijaywada

Reports say the supporters of YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, whose indefinite hunger strike enters second day, blocked roads and are burning tyres to protest the formation of Telangana.

11:50 am: Power supply hit in Andhra Pradesh

An indefinite strike launched on Sunday by electricity employees of Rayalaseema and the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh hit power supply in six districts of the state and also forced the railways to cancel train services.

Hundreds of villages in six coastal Andhra districts plunged into darkness as the electricity employees went on an indefinite strike to protest the Centre's decision to create a separate Telangana state.

Seemandhra electricity employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) said over 30,000 electricity employees were participating in the strike in Seemandhra, as Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions are collectively known.

The indefinite strike began after an earlier 48-hour-long strike ended on Sunday to protest the union Cabinet's decision to bifurcate the state.

The strike has hit power generation in a couple of major plants in coastal Andhra. The South Central Railway (SCR) on Sunday cancelled seven passenger trains between Vijayawada and Renigunta. The cancelled train services include Vijayawada-Ongole, Guduru-Ongole, Tenali-Guntur and Tirupati-Guduru.

JAC chairman R Sai Baba announced that there would be no exemption to emergency services like hospital, water supply and agriculture.

Also Read: Anti-Telangana protests hit power supply in Andhra Pradesh

10:20 am: Jaganmohan Reddy's indefinite hunger strike enters Day 2

YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy's indefinite fast against the creation of a separate state for Telangana enters second day.

9:50 am: Curfew, shoot-at-sight orders in Vizianagaram

Curfew has been imposed in Vizianagaram town with police given the orders to shoot at sight in the wake of large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators, police said.

Vizianagaram, a town in coastal Andhra, has been roiling since the Union Cabinet's decision to create the state of Telangana out of the existing state of Andhra Pradesh.

"Lot of violence was reported, with the protesters indulging in arson, setting a bank on fire, and damaging public and private properties. In view of the violence, authorities ordered a curfew late last night," Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, IGP (North Coastal Zone), told a news agency.

People have been directed not to come out on the roads without permission. The curfew would be in force till further orders, the IGP said, adding that decision on relaxation will depend on the situation. "We are ensuring that there is no movement of public on the roads," he said.

Additional forces have been deployed in the town which has witnessed widespread violence since Thursday. Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayna's house in the town was attacked on Friday.

The 48-hour bandh called by Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association got over last night. The situation in Seemandhra, overall, was under control, the IGP said.

Also Read: Curfew in Andhra town to check anti-Telangana violence

9:45 am: Bandh in Vizag district continues

Educational institutions and commercial establishments will remain shut today in response to the bandh call given by the groups protesting against the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

9.00 am: Seemandhra electricity employees on strike

The electricity employees of Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions of Andhra Pradesh go on indefinite strike from today to protest the central government's decision to carve out separate Telangana state.

Over 30,000 electricity employees in Seemandhra, as Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions are collectively known, are likely to join the strike called by Seemandhra electricity employees Joint Action Committee (JAC).

JAC chairman Sai Baba announced that there would be no exemption to emergency services like hospital, water supply and agriculture.

He said the strike would continue till the central government takes back the decision to divide the state.

The strike may affect the electricity generation and supply not just in 13 districts of Seemandhra but may also hit transmission in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.

The strike may also hit the southern grid as all four southern states - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - are interlinked.

Over six lakh government employees and teachers in Seemandhra are already on indefinite strike from August 13.