71 companies of paramilitary forces deployed in Seemandhra to prevent vandalism

Seemandhra region has been put on high alert on Thursday. The state government deployed additional forces in all sensitive districts. Security at the residences of Seemandhra ministers and public representatives chiefly belonging to the ruling Congress was beefed up hours before Union cabinet met to decide on the bifurcation of the state. Paramilitary forces staged a flag march at some places.

Senior IPS officials, who were assigned special task of monitoring law and order in districts, arrived in respective district headquarters and held discussions with the local police bosses.

As many as 71 companies of paramilitary forces have been asked to take position in the sensitive areas such as universities and busy centres in Seemandhra districts. Security at the residences of ministers Kanna Lakshminarayana and Dokka Manikyavaraprasad and MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao was stepped up in Guntur while the residence of assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar was fortified at Tenali. Statues of Congress leaders including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi have been “secured” with fences. Statues were the target of attack during the first round of agitation in the Seemandhra region in August-September.

Special police forces took the residences of Union ministers Panabaka Lakshimi, JD Seelam, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, MM Pallam Raju, Daggubati Purandeswari, and K Kriparani into their control in their hometowns following inputs that samaikyandhra agitators could resort to attacks. South-coastal range IG PV Suneel Kumar reached Guntur and reviewed the situation with the SPs of Guntur urban, rural, Prakasam and Nellore.

Vijayawada city police commissioner B Srinivasulu personally monitored the situation in the city. Field officers have been instructed to increase bandobust at Congress party office in the city and the private guest house of minister K Pardhasaradhi.

Meanwhile, paramilitary forces held a flag march in Anantapur town and additional forces reached Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur district.

Source: ToI