Hyderabad: It was supposed to be a siege of Andhra Pradesh legislative Assembly by the pro-Telangana students but it turned out to be case of police laying siege to the assembly.
At least 15,000 policemen and personnel from the central para-military forces surrounded assembly building and closed all the surrounding roads with barricades and barbed wires to foil any attempt by the pro-Telangana students to storm the place.
A curfew-like situation prevailed on the normally busy Nampally-Lakdi ka pul road passing in front of the assembly. All connecting roads and streets were closed and no traffic was allowed to move. The areas wore a deserted look as shops, businesses, petrol stations and other establishments remain closed.
But as the day's session of assembly ended and police started relaxing restrictions, the situation became tense as junior college student Yadaiah set himself on fire at the main gate of Osmania University campus in the presence of thousands of students.
Critical condition
As policemen on duty and others tried to save the life of the student, he suffered 60 per cent burns to his body and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. As the news of his act spread, tension mounted on campus and other parts of Hyderabad city.
Yadaiah, a resident of Nagaram village under Maheashwaram was studying in second year Intermediate at Noble College. Yadaiah, an orphan, was also working part time in a hotel.
He left a note behind saying he was committing suicide because he had no other option to achieve Telangana. He also left behind photos of himself with several important leaders including TDP President Chandrababu Naidu, Sabita Indra Reddy and PRP leader Chiranjeevi.
Angered over the incident, the Students Joint Action Committee gave a call to the supporters of Telangana to block all the roads connecting Telangana to Andhra and Rayala Seema regions.
The Students Joint Action Committee had given the "Chalo Assembly" call to protest against the attacks by police on students in Osmania University earlier this week.
Unknown persons set three buses on fire near Jamia Osmania railway station. Students shouting slogans of "Jai Telangana" clashed with the police at Vidynagar near Osmania and Nizam College near Lal Bahadur Stadium.
Police also arrested a group of students who had managed to sneak through the barricades and gathered at Lakdi Ka Pul.
The focal point of confrontation was at Vidyanagar where hundreds of students had gathered with the intention of taking out a rally towards the state assembly, 15 kilometres away. At the first surge the students succeeded in breaking through the first barrier but could not proceed further as barbed wire fencing was laid at the second point.
Police used force to push back the students in to Osmania campus. Some students from Nizam college near the assembly managed to break out and rushed towards the assembly but police stopped them in Lal Bahadur Stadium and took them in to custody.
The police commissioner Abdul Khayyum Khan who supervised the unprecedented security arrangements said that some students might have sneaked in to the inner circle of security but they were taken in to custody.
On the whole more than two hundred students were rounded up by the police.
Due to the blockade imposed by the police and security forces, workers as well as passengers going to the bus stands and railway stations, plus patients going to hospital were all seen arguing with police officials but to no avail. "We have clear instructions not to allow anybody to enter this area with out pass," a senior official deployed at Lakdi Ka Pul said.
