Shutdown affects life in Andhras Khammam District

A day-long shutdown called by the Left parties in Andhra Pradeshs Khammam District to register their protest against the Saturdays police firing on a protesting crowd that claimed eight lives affected the normal life today.

Hyderabad/Khammam, July 29 : A day-long shutdown called by the Left parties in Andhra Pradesh's Khammam District to register their protest against the Saturday's police firing on a protesting crowd that claimed eight lives affected the normal life today.

Hundreds of CPI (M) and CPI activists organised a sit-in at the Khammam District collectorate with the bodies of those killed in the firing wrapped in red flags.

The activists ended their protest after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy announced compensation for the victims of police firing. The protestors then allowed the bodies to be taken for an autopsy.

Reddy announced Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each of the persons who died. He further said, a house and a government job would be provided to one member of the families of the dead.

A compensation of Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 for those who sustained simple injuries was also announced, besides the government bearing the expenses for the treatment of the injured.

Eight persons were killed and several others injured in police firing at Mudigonda village in Khammam district after a protest rally of Left parties against the State Government's land policy turned violent.

The Left parties and the main opposition TDP demanded resignation of Chief Minister Reddy owning moral responsibility for the "killing of innocent protestors".

Senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri, TDP President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrashekhar Rao visited Khammam and consoled the bereaved families.

The State Government has ordered an enquiry into the incident.

The CPI (M), CPI and 195 mass organisations have been conducting a movement for house sites and land for the poor, since May 2 this year.

The Congress Government had promised distribution of surplus land to the landless poor. The State has so far distributed about 450,000 acres of land to about 300,000 beneficiaries.

ANI