On second day of a 48-hour bandh in Krishna, West and East Godavari, Guntur, Anantapur and other districts of both the regions, sporadic violence was reported besides fasting leaders of different political parties were shifted to hospitals.
Protesters blocked road traffic at 86 places and movement of trains at ten places, fast-unto-death continued at 38 places with relay hunger strikes continuing at 404 places, Inspector General of Police A R Anuradha told mediapersons in Hyderabad.
Over 1.45 lakh protesters including political leaders, students and activists of various organisations, participated in rallies, road blockades, demonstrations, relay and indefinite fast in different districts, she said adding more than seven persons were taken into preventive custody.
Protesters torched 12 motorcycles and one car in Eluru town of West Godavari district, one bus was stoned and a lorry was set ablaze in Anantapur while a telephone exchange was burnt at Kondapuram in Kadapa district, she said.
"At 31 places in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, police broke the fast of protesters after their health condition deteriorated," Anuradha said.
Anuradha, who is the official spokesperson of Andhra Pradesh Police, said political agitations were held at 692 places in which more than 79,000 people participated.
Over 24,000 students took part in protests at 84 places opposing proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh while 43,000 protesters, including advocates and activists of various organisations, also took part in 334 agitations, she said.
Replying to a query, the senior police official said prohibitory orders were enforced at Sri Krishnadevaraya University campus which witnessed clashes between students and police a few days ago.
Police forcibly ends YSR brother's fast-unto-death
Meanwhile, after Congress Member of Parliament L Rajagopal in Vijaywada, Congress Member of Legislative Council Y S Vivekananda Reddy, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike in Kadapa in support of united Andhra Pradesh, was on Saturday taken into police custody and forcibly shifted to a hospital.
Vivekananda, a Congress MLC and brother of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was lifted from his hunger camp by scores of police personnel and was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Kadapa town, police officials said.
Reddy had been on an indefinite fast from December 15 in support of a united Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the district Congress committee and various organisations have called for a 48-hours bandh to oppose Vivekananda's arrest.
Earlier in the day Rajagopal who has been on an indefinite fast in Vijaywada was also shifted to a hospital, prompting his supporters to stage road blockades and demonstrations across the city.
Supporters of unified state stopped Venkatadri and Rayalaseema Express trains at Kodur railway station and Mumbai-bound Jayanti Express at Kondapuram station for over an hour disrupting train services on the line.
In view of the rail roko, seven trains passing from Kadapa town were diverted towards Guntakal and Guntur routes.
