Maoists may fan violence during pro-Telangana stir: Police

The police suspect that left-wing extremists may infiltrate the "Chalo Assembly" protest and spark violence during the stir called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee on June 14.

The police also reiterated that no permission can be given to the proposed protest, citing ongoing session of Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

"We have inputs that left-wing extremist groups may get involved in the 'Chalo Assembly' protest and generate violence," a senior police officer told PTI.

A string of violent incidents had marred the 'Telangana March' held here on September 30 last year with the police suspecting the involvement of Maoist insurgents. There have been reports in a section of media that the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist has given a call to transform the 'Chalo Assembly' protest into a militant struggle.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma, meanwhile, made it clear on Wednesday that with the Assembly in session, no permission could be granted to Telangana supporters to gather in the state capital on June 14.

Sharma told mediapersons that apart from 20 companies of central paramilitary forces, police personnel from various districts in the state are being drawn to maintain law and order on June 14.

"We have seen that when such calls were given in the past by pro-Telangana organisations... invariably things have turned violent," Sharma said.

He was said referring to the 'Million March' held in March 2011 and the 'Telangana March' in September last year. "Large-scale destruction of private and public property has taken place and that is why we have decided that we cannot give permission to any such demonstration," Sharma added.

Sharma said that police will deal strictly with those who violate the orders against the protest. Telangana Joint Action Committee, headed by M Kodandaram, is an umbrella organisation of various groupings of employees, students etc. who are backing the separate statehood demand.

The Telangana issue has troubled the ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh and divided the state along regional lines. Congress had in the beginning of June clarified in Delhi that it was not against the creation of small states amid reports that the decision on the contentious Telanagana issue could be taken later this month.