Bandh hits normal life

Hyderabad, Jan 19: Normal life in the Capital and nine Telangana districts has come to a standstill as a 48-hour bandh call given by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of students began on Wednesday. The call for shut-down was given in protest against the delay in the formation of separate Telangana. The immolations by two students on Tuesday for the Telangana cause triggered angry protests from the students, who called for a two-day bandh.The life in the city was thrown out of gear with the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (RTC) suspending all its city, suburban and long-distance services while shops, business establishments, petrol bunks and educational institutions remained closed.

The alleged suicide of a girl student has come to light after the death of engineering student Venugopala Reddy from Ghatkesar who set himself ablaze in OU campus on Tuesday. According to sources, Suvarnamma, a first year BSc student in Mahabubnagar district, set herself ablaze late Tuesday. Depressed over the delay in carving out a separate Telangana state, both the students are reported to have committed suicide.

Tension prevailed on Osmania University campus for the second consecutive day as students continued their protest with the body of Venugopala Reddy. The JAC leaders, who sat in front of the Arts College building with the body through Tuesday night, said they would not allow it to be moved unless all MPs and state legislators from the region resign in support of the Telangana statehood demand.