Hyderabad: Braving attacks by pro-Telangana elements, nearly one lakh employees from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions congregated here today for a rally, which gave the call to keep the state united.
Significantly, employees from Telangana districts like Nalgonda, Khammam, Medak and Warangal - though small in number - also attended the 'Save Andhra Pradesh' rally organised by the AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association and expressed solidarity with their colleagues from the other regions.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium overflowed as more than 80,000 employees with valid identity cards made their way to the rally revue while several thousands, without ID cards, had to remain outside.
Political leaders were kept away from the rally following restrictions imposed by Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The pro-Telangana elements tried to prevent the unified state protagonists from going ahead with the rally.
The 24-hour bandh called by Telangana Joint Action Committee, which had little impact in Hyderabad, was designed to foil the 'Samaikya Andhra' rally.
In the morning, pro-Telangana supporters pelted stones on policemen and employees from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions in a bid to thwart the rally.
Several pro-Telangana elements, masquerading as students, gathered in the Nizam College hostel building near the stadium, and hurled stones at employees from Andhra- Rayalaseema regions, who were on their way to the rally.
Police, who entered the hostel building to disperse the violent mob, were also greeted with stones.
Police lobbed teargas shells as violent Telangana elements rained stones on them, leaving at least three policemen injured.
Andhra and Rayalaseema regions have witnessed large-scale agitation ever since the Congress leadership on July 30 announced its decision to grant statehood to Telangana.
Today's rally was part of the agitation to push for keeping the state united and to mount pressure on Centre to rescind its decision.
