Andhra Pradesh Govt Bans Public Meetings, Roadshows After 11 Killed In 2 Separate Stampede Incidents

This comes ahead of TDP leader Nara Lokesh commencing his marathon padayatra — Yuva Galam — on January 27 and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan's bus yatra across the state

A day after three women died in a stampede during Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu's roadshow in Guntur district, the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh banned public meetings and rallies on the roads in the state. 

The Andhra Pradesh government has issued orders that meetings and rallies will no longer be allowed on national, state, municipal, and panchayat-run roads. District SPs or police commissioners may grant permission under certain conditions, the Government Order read.

Principal Secretary Harish Kumar Gupta of the Home Department directive was issued on Monday under the Police Act of 1861.This  decision was taken by implementing the 30 Police Act in the context of public meetings and rallies on the roads, which are causing inconvenience to the people and exposing shortcomings in their management. 

It has been clarified that the national, state, municipal, and panchayat raj roads in the state should be used only for the transportation of people and goods. The government advised the district officials to select alternative places for holding meetings in villages, towns, and cities.

This comes ahead of TDP leader Nara Lokesh commencing his marathon padayatra — Yuva Galam — on January 27 and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan's bus yatra across the state. 

Three women were killed and 13 others were injured in the stampede during the distribution of Sankranti gifts to women by the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday (January 1).

On December 28, eight people were killed during Naidu's road show in the Nellore district town of Kandukur. Earlier, Home Minister V Rajini blamed Chandrababu Naidu for the deaths. She claimed that because of his publicity stunts, people were dying.

CM Jagan slammed Naidu for the incident, saying that his zeal for publicity had cost people their lives. The ruling YSR Congress Party alleged that Naidu was organising road shows and public meetings in congested areas to show that a large number of people were attending his programmes.

(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)