Hyderabad, Feb 5: Tension prevailed in Andhra Pradesh's Warangal Tuesday as protestors clashed with police during the funeral procession of a student who committed suicide over the delay in formation of Telangana state.
Protestors tried to lay siege to the house of state minister Baswaraju Sariah and pelted stones at the properties belonging to Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders. They also damaged a few statues.
Raising slogans of 'Jai Telangana', youths pelted stones at a hotel belonging to TDP MP Sudha Rani. Police baton charged the protestors.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader Harish Rao was injured during the funeral procession when he fell down from a vehicle during a clash between police and the protestors. He was shifted to a local hospital.
The 19-year-old engineering student, Neeraj alias Bharath Bharadwaj of Warangal Institute of Technology and Science (WITS) Monday committed suicide by setting himself ablaze in front of his college at Oorugonda village of Atmakur 'mandal' or block.
Neeraj, student of B. Tech (Civil) doused himself in kerosene and set himself ablaze after writing pro-Telangana slongans and the telephone number of his parents on the wall.
Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) convenor M. Kodandaram, who participated in Neeraj's last rites, demanded that the central government own responsibility for his suicide. He said a murder case should be booked against the central leaders.
At least five people have committed suicide since Jan 28, when the central government did not announce its decision on Telangana issue despite fixing one month deadline. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the government need more time for consultations.
