More than 1 lakh arrested ahead of Million March

In an attempt to foil the march and to prevent people from reaching Hyderabad, police in Telangana districts on Wednesday took a large number of activists into preventive custody. More then one lakh people were arrested across Telangana, including 11,000 in the Hyderabad city.

The Governemt is doing every thing possible to prevent the march. Barricades have been put up in nine districts and on the outskirts of Hyderabad to prevent activists joining the protest. Police in Nizamabad, Warangal, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak and other districts have arrested scores of TJAC activists heading to Hyderabad to participate in the march.

On a petition by the organisers, the state human rights commission Wednesday directed police not to violate human rights while taking steps to foil the march.

Telanganites will take out two rallies one each from the Jubilee Bus Station and Sundarayya Vignana Kendra to Tank Bund.

The protesters will stage a sit-in for three hours from 1 pm to draw the attention of the central government to their demand.

TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram has condemned large-scale arrests in the Telangana districts.

“People can protest in Egypt and Tunisia but not in Hyderabad,” he asked.

Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday declined to pass any orders to stop the march.

Telangana leaders of the ruling Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are backing the march. Gaddar, students’ groups and lawyers’ organisations have also announced support. A group of TDP legislators also met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, urging him to ask police not to carry out arrests or suppress the peaceful protest.