Telangana tense after another suicide; bandh called

One more incident of self immolation and another attempted suicide rocked the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh on Monday triggering yet another call for the bandh in the region on Tuesday. 

An auto rickshaw driver committed self immolation in Hanmakonda town of Warangla district, while another youth made a similar attempt in Wanaparthy town of Mahbubnagar district.

Monday's incidents came close on the heel of a student Bojja Nayak committing suicide in Warangal on Saturday demanding the early formation of Telangana state.

The latest wave of suicides began soon after the pro Telangana candidates sweeping all the six assembly by elections in the region last week.

In the last incident Rajmouli, an auto driver in his twenties, poured petrol on his body and set himself ablaze. The incident occurred in full public view in Public Gardens in Hanmakonda town which had witnessed violent incidents during the funeral of another suicide victim Bojja Nayak.

Rajmouli in a suicide note left behind said that he was taking the extreme step as he had lost hope of formation of Telangana state. He belonged to Timmampet village in Zafargadh Mandal.

In Wanaparth town another person B R Goud poured kerosene on his body at Rajiv Chowk and set himself afire. He was immediately rushed to the hospital where his condition was serious.

The latest incidents have sent waves of shock and anger across the region. Telangana Rashtra Samiti, which has decided renew its aggressive stand on the separate state, has called for a Telangana Bandh on Tuesday. TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao, who stalled the proceedings of Lok Sabha demanding immediate steps for the formation of Telangana state by the Centre, urged his party to ensure successful bandh in the region on Tuesday.

However the ongoing SSC public exams and the Road Transport Corporation buses have been exempted from the strike.

The bandh call has also received the support from the Congress MPs of Telangana region, the BJP and the Telangana Nagara Samiti.

Chandrashekhar Rao, blaming the Congress governments both in the state and at the center for the explosive situation, reiterated his appeal to the students and the youth of Telangana not to resort to taking their own lives.

All the pro Telangana legislators including those of TRS and BJP and independents left Hyderabad in a bus to Hanmakonda to condole the family of Rajmouli.

Earlier in the day the TRS legislators stalled the proceedings of the state assembly demanding that the House should pass a resolution in support of Telangana state. Newly elected four MLAS of TRS on Monday took the oath in the House and started shouting slogans in support of Telangana state.

When all his efforts to bring order to the House failed, the Speaker N Manohar first adjourned the House for fifteen minutes and subsequently for the day.

In the morning the TRS legislators also held a sit-in demonstration at the main gate of the assembly blocking the entry of the non Telangana members. They forced the two TDP legislators from Andhra D Narendar and D Umamaheshwar Rao. "How many more human sacrifices you want", they shouted at the Andhra members known for their opposition to Telangana state.

Meanwhile the Congress MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yashki said that the suicides should not be seen as a symbol of weakness of the people of Telangana. "If the Centre does not take an early decision on Telangana, situation will become worse", he warned.