The statewide bandh call by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, over Special Category Status in Andhra Pradesh, has drawn sizable support from different sections across state on Tuesday.
The day for several YSRCP leaders began with preventive detention by police authorities in view of the bandh.
While government offices were functioning, educational institutions have been shut due to the bandh.
Kadapa YSRCP president A Amarnath Reddy, along with the party leaders, were arrested from Rajampet bus stand in the early hours of the morning.
Former Tirupati MP Varaprasad headed the protests at Tada in Nellore district, on Chennai national highway, amid tight security.
When BY Ramaiah, Kurnool district YSRCP leader, was arrested, party cadres staged a protest at the taluka police station, condemning his arrest.
Vijayawada police have taken several YSRCP leaders, including Vangaveeti Radha, Kolusu Partasarathy and SK Ghouse Mohammad Uddin, to different police stations after picking them from Lenin centre in Vijayawada. Leaders said that the arrests are undemocratic.
YSRCP youth wing leaders, along with its president Salaam Babu, were arrested while heading for the bandhs. Student leaders were detained at Gannavaram police station.
Salaam slammed the TDP government for arresting students and unemployed youths.
Speaking to TNM, he said, “On one hand, Chandrababu Naidu says he is for the Special Category Status, and on the other hand, he arrests the students and unemployed youths who are fighting for the status. He thinks that YSRCP is gaining mileage and is foiling the protests.”
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy too took to Twitter to condemn the police arrests of party cadres. “If Chandrababu and TDP are not against SCS, why are they stopping the bandh.”
YSRCP cadres have also staged a dharna in front of Vijayawada bus stand.
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus services were also affected across the state.
The several parts of the state are kept under the tight vigil of the security forces.
Several reports suggests that passengers in several places, including Vizag, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Anantapur, are facing difficulties as the RTC services has been suspended in several places.
AP Union for Working Journalists has expressed its solidarity with YSRCP bandh.