Attacks on Cong leaders houses continues

HYDERABAD: Angry Seemandhra protesters stepped up their attacks on the residences and other establishments of Congress ministers, MPs and MLAs on Monday.

The ruling party leaders are already the target of the protesters for the last 65-odd days of the agitation launched to oppose the division of Andhra Pradesh. But despite the heavy police presence outside their premises, the attackers came in huge numbers on Monday and sent across a clear message: 'Quit your posts or else face the brunt of the people's fury.'

In Visakhapatnam, a group of protesters led by YSR Congress activists tried to storm into the camp office of union minister D Purandeswari. On not being allowed in, some activists tried to jump over the barricades upon which the cops resorted to lathicharge.

The same protesters earlier tried to barge into the residence of state minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao but were chased away by lathicharging policemen. In the meantime, students staged separate protests outside the residences of minister Ganta and Congress MLAs M Vijayaprasad and Vijayakumar in the port city.

In Kakinada, YSR Congress activists staged a dharna outside Union minister Pallam Raju's residence and demanded his resignation. Cops had to resort to lathicharge to scatter away the protesters.

Outside Rangaraya Medical College in Kakinada, the medical staff including doctors performed a mock-autopsy on the effigies of the Union ministers from Seemandhra and demanded their resignations.

In Rajahmundry in East Godavari district, employees, lawyers, doctors and other groups on Monday took out a massive rally that culminated in a dharna outside the local police station demanding stringent action against the sons of Amalapuram MP G Harsha Kumar for having attacked the protesters two days ago even as the town observed a total bandh in protest against the assault by the MP's sons.

The agitators also blackened out Harsha Kumar's name wherever they spotted it in his constituency as well as on the foundation stones of various schemes.

In Krishna district, JAC leaders burnt the effigies of the Union ministers at several places and offered 'pinda pradanam,' a ritual where food is offered to the dead souls.

In Tirupati, NGOs, teachers and RTC workers JAC held a 'sava yatra' carrying the effigies of local MP Chinta Mohan and Amalapuram MP Harsha Kumar.

The activists demanded the resignations of the Congress MPs before burning the effigies near the town club. The protesters also blackened out the name of Tirupati Congress MP Chinta Mohan wherever visible in the temple town.

In Rajam, the hometown of state health minister Kondru Murali in Srikakulam district, protesting government employees stormed into his office, put up a 'To-Let' signboard, and staged a sit in demanding his resignation.

The employees were agitated upon learning that the minister had reprimanded the striking associations during talks to end the impasse in Hyderabad earlier on Monday.

In Nellore, YSR Congress workers were arrested when they tried to storm the residences of state minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy and local Congress MLAs M S Krishna Reddy and Anam Vivekananda Reddy.

In Rajampet in Kadapa district, cops had to lathicharge protesting students who tried to barge into the residence of Rajampet local Congress MP A Sai Pratap.

Similar protests were witnessed in front of the residences of state minister P Balaraju in Paderu and Congress MLA Somu in Araku, both in Visakhapatnam district.