Secretariat Bandh On Thursday

The on-strike Telangana employees in the Secretariat have given a call for a "Secretariat bandh" on Thursday, to protest against the arrest of their members. 3 drivers were, earlier, taken into custody on Wednesday for not discharging their duties.

The employees' leaders said that they would not allow the other employees to discharge their duties on Thursday.

The demonstrations being routinely held by the agitating employees took a violent turn on Wednesday, with the arrest of their leader Narender Rao and 3 drivers. They were taken to the Kanchanbagh police station located in the Old City. Later, Narender Rao was released, while the 3 drivers were detained.

Demanding the release of the other 3 drivers, the staff held demonstrations, raising slogans in support of Telangana, near the Out gate. They later took out a rally, headed by Suresh Kumar, Secretariat staff general secretary, to the C block, where they also staged a sit-in protest.

Meanwhile, Telangana leader Srinivas Goud met Chief Secretary S V Prasad and urged for the release of their drivers. They threatened to stop work in the Secretariat if the drivers were not released.

Currently, the employees belonging to the Seemandhra region are attending their duties at the Secretariat.

For the first time in the recent past, the Rapid Action Force personnel, who were requisitioned from the Centre, were pressed into service in addition to the regular forces, at the Secretariat. (INN)