Bandh near-total

• Industries, shops closed; transport hit
• TDP, BJP and TRS supportA Left-sponsored bandh
• Leaders taken into custody and let off
• Peaceful and incident-free l Next course of action on April 11

Hyderabad: The state-wide bandh on Tuesday against the power tariff hike and related policy called by the Left parties' combine and the YSRCP was near-total. Backed by other principal opposition parties including the TDP, BJP and TRS the shutdown remained incident free and peaceful.

It evoked overwhelming response in almost all the districts. Shops and establishments were found to be closed in main business zones and roads. Public and private transport was also affected. The protesters staged 'rasta roko', demonstrations, formed human chains on the highways and main roads, in an apparent effort to stop movement of vehicular traffic. All the parties took part in these agitation programmes in Hyderabad and also in districts. Industries, which have been affected by severe power shortages and cuts, extended their support to the bandh by opting for voluntary closure of their units.

Several Left leaders, including B V Raghavulu, CPI-M state secretary, and K Narayana, state CPI secretary, were arrested for leading protests as part of the bandh. Many others were arrested after they staged sit-ins before bus depots to prevent movement of APSRTC services. The arrested were later let off by the police.

In Hyderabad and its outskirts, the bandh evoked mixed response. Shops and business establishments remained closed in most of the places while they were open in a few localities. Autos and buses were off the roads in the morning, but resumed around noon. By that time the police had cleared the roads by arresting the party workers. Many schools remained closed. Osmania and other universities postponed their examinations scheduled for the day.

Police forces were deployed at bus depots and railway stations as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incidents. In Tirupati, the rush of devotees was comparatively less. So was the case with Basar temple in Adilabad district. In Srikakulam, the Left activists, who staged a demonstration in front of the AP Transco office, demanding its closure, were upset by the "behaviour" of officials. They ransacked the office furniture to register their protest.

In Chittoor, Telugu Desam Party MP N Sivaprasad staged a novel demonstration by thrashing himself with a hunter and beating a drum with another hand.A Meanwhile, Government chief whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy claimed that the bandh was intended for proving political existence of the Opposition parties and that there was no people's participation in it.

In Hyderabad the Raghavulu and Narayana said that at least now the government should withdraw the increase in power tariff totally, scrap the merchant power policy and invest in Genco ventures for power production.While thanking the people for their response to the bandh call, they said they would decide the future course of action at a meeting here on April 11.

Many schools remained closed. Osmania and other universities postponed their examinations scheduled for the day