Act on Telangana creation by Monday: Rao to Centre

The Telangana Political Joint Action Committee has issued an ultimatum to the Centre, asking it to announce a clear cut time-frame for the formation of a separate state by Monday evening, failing which an indefinite bandh would be called from December 29.

"We will wait till Monday evening for the Centre's announcement, failing which there will be an indefinite bandh in the entire region from Tuesday," Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao said.

The JAC has decided to organise protests in all the villages in the region to press its demand for the creation of a separate state within a stipulated time. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from Karimnagar and Medak districts of the region even as the bandh call given by the JAC was withdrawn.

A group of demonstrators set fire to the Telugu Desam Party's office in Vemulavada town and attacked an office of the irrigation project officer in Ramgundam mandal.

Raising slogans 'Jai Telangana', hundreds of students and others held demonstrations and blocked roads. Students also carried out a mock funeral procession of TDP leaders in Warangal even as some of them continued with their fasts near Kakatiya University.

Similarly, pro-Telangana groups, including student organisations, resorted to hunger strikes at Osmania University and several other areas of Hyderabad city in support of a separate Telangana state.

Meanwhile, the TDP gave a bandh call in Mahabubnagar district condemning the attack on its leaders, including politburo member Nagam Janardhan Reddy, who was roughed up by students and pro-Telangana activists at the Osmania University campus on Thursday.

TDP workers resorted to road blockades at Gadwal and other areas of the district. "A bandh call has been given by TDP in Mahabubnagar district to condemn the attack on their leaders. The situation is peaceful so far," said a senior police officer.