'Maoist frontal groups behind violence at Hyderabad's Tank Bund': Police

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar on Saturday claimed that frontal organisations of Maoists were involved in the violence that took place during a protest march by striking employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) in the city. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of employees unions had called for a 'Chalo Tank Bund' march as part of the ongoing strike by the TSRTC employees which entered its 36th day on Saturday.  Anjani Kumar claimed that besides the members of the RTC unions, some frontal organisations of Maoists and other parties were involved in stone pelting incidents at 7-8 places, causing injuries to senior police officials including an Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police and two Assistant Commissioners of Police. He said though the police had refused permission for the march, activists of RTC unions, and cadres from CPI (ML) New Democracy cadres and others in large numbers tried to enter Tank Bund."Police tried to stop them but they pelted stones and as a result several police officers were injured," he said. The police chief said that the police lathi-charged to disperse the violent mob and prevent further violence. He said the police would register cases against those involved in the violence and take firm action. A charged atmosphere that tankbund area was gripped in today as the #TSRTC employees tried to protest on #tankbund. @thenewsminute @dhanyarajendran pic.twitter.com/Yaz0pSr3Aq — CharanTeja (@CharanT16) November 9, 2019 Chalo tankbund of #tsrtcstaff : standoff b/n police and protestors. pic.twitter.com/mkB2yS5fvy — CharanTeja (@CharanT16) November 9, 2019 Meanwhile, the JAC of the TSRTC, which had called for the march alleged that several protesters including women were injured in the indiscriminate use of force by the police. JAC leaders said some protesters suffered bleeding injuries. The police were also seen manhandling women protesters in the chaos and even used tear gas to disperse the crowd at one point. Around 48,000 employees of the RTC have been on strike in Telangana for over a month now. Their key demand is to merge the TSRTC with the government, which is being vehemently opposed by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Read:  TSRTC strike: Protesters detained for defying Hyd police orders on ‘Chalo Tank Bund’ Telangana police arrest TVV chief Maddileti, TPF V-P Krishna for alleged Maoist links IANS inputs