CPI (M) Raghavulu, CPI Narayana Arrested

Seeking to halt the state-wide bandh, called for by Left-wing parties in protest of the recent power tariff hike and frequent power cuts, at its source, the police arrested CPI (M) state secretary B V Raghavulu, and his CPI counterpart K Narayana at Imliban bus stand this morning. The state secretaries of the leading Left parties had showed up at the bus stand with large numbers of people, at 3am, and conducted a sit-down to obstruct bus services.

In Hyderabad alone, 8 bus depots, and 800 buses, have been halted, along with 21 other public services. Meanwhile, RTC and auto-rickshaw unions have also joined the state-wide bandh, much to the inconvenience of commuters all over the state.

Requesting that people cooperate with them in making the bandh successful, CPI and CPI (M) state secretaries insisted that "no number of arrests are going to arrest the bandh". Opposition parties TDP, YSRCP, and BJP, have also lent their support to the bandh.