Schools, colleges closed in Hyderabad, Telangana

Several educational institutions

in Telangana region, including in Hyderabad, are closed today

following a bandh call by pro-Telangana groups. Telangana student unions including Osmania University

Students Joint Action Committee gave a bandh call today,

protesting the alleged high-handedness of police during the

`Telangana March' in support of the separate statehood demand

yesterday. State Road Transport Corporation said it had not

cancelled bus services, but rescheduled them in some areas of

the city. South Central Railway sources said some of the train

services in the region were cancelled. MMTS (Multi-Modal

Transport System) services in the city would not operate till

afternoon. Thousands of protesters defied prohibitory orders and

joined in the Telangana March here yesterday. Police said some

25 police vehicles were damaged, three of them torched.Several political leaders including some Telangana

Congress MPs were taken into custody when they tried to stage

dharna in front of Chief Minister's Camp office. Telangana supporters, on their way to Necklace Road at

Hussain Sagar lake, the venue of the March, clashed with

security personnel. Violence was reported at Osmania

University campus, Khairatabad and the Andhra Pradesh

Secretariat area.When they were stopped from passing down the Secretariat

road and through some other areas where prohibitory orders

were in place, the protesters pelted stones and tried to

remove the barricades, which prompted the security personnel

to lob tear gas shells, police said. Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), which had asked

its supporters to stay at the March venue, ended the rally

shortly before midnight due to rains.JAC chairman M Kodandaram said it would organise a fast

on October 2 here and also launch a fast-unto-death agitation

soon.