Telangana agitation: HC advocate attempts suicide

Tension prevailed near the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday when an agitating pro-Telangana advocate allegedly tried to commit suicide by dousing petrol.

G V Gupta from Karimangar district climbed the main gate of the high court and tried to douse himself with petrol, but was prevented by other protesting advocates. In the melee, the petrol sprinkled on at least four other advocates.

Court proceedings in the high court were paralysed for the third day on Thursday as the agitation launched by Telangana advocates continued as scores others boycotted the proceedings and joined the protests outside the court.

A large number of advocates from different courts and districts of Telangana region gathered in front of the entrance of the High Court and raised slogans in support of separate Telangana state and against the government.

Tempers ran high when protesting advocates tried to break the locked main gate of the High Court. However, police deployed outside the court premises tried to pacify them.

Later, the advocates organised sit-in in front of the main High Court gate causing traffic snarl on the busy road between Madina Building and Puranapul.

Meanwhile, the fast-unto-death observed by three advocates S Satyam Reddy, who is also convener of Telangana advocates JAC, Jyothi Kiran and Vijay Kumar Goud entered fourth day on Thursday.

Advocates from Telangana, who have demanded 42 per cent share in recruitment to the posts of government pleaders, assistant government pleaders and standing counsels for various corporations in the high court, have been boycotting court proceedings at the high court, Nampally criminal court and in Telangana districts since Tuesday last.

Ugly scenes were witnessed in some court halls and at the chambers of Registrar General in the high court as agitating advocates vandalised chairs and furniture in the three court halls and allegedly threw placards on Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy, during their protests in the past two days.

Ramireddy, Telangana Advocates JAC leader, said court proceedings in 10 Telangana districts were also disturbed on Thursday as lawyers boycotted their work expressing solidarity with the advocates who were on indefinite hunger strike in support of Telangana advocates demand.

The protesters have also demanded release of some advocates who were taken into custody and withdrawal of cases lodged against them besides resignation of Advocate General D V Seetharam Murthy.

The state government has already appealed the striking advocates of Telangana region to call off their agitation as the government was ready to consider their demands.

The government said it has already constituted a three-member Cabinet Sub-Committee (with Ministers Geetha Reddy, M Venkatramana and P Ramachandra Reddy as the Committee's members) on August 23, to look into appointment of law officers.