Police arrest the suspected conspirator in Secundarabad railway station violence

Hyderabad: Police arrested a man for allegedly conspiring to incite than 1000 youths to create violence at Secundarabad railway station on Friday.

Avula Subba Rao was detained in Prakasam district on Saturday. He is set to be handed in to the Railway Police for questioning.

Rao, an ex-serviceman, runs Sai Defence Academy branches in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Unruly youths on Friday barged into the railway station burning coaches, damaging parcel goods as and ransacking stalls.

The violence started during their protest against the Central government's army recruitment scheme Agnipath.

Railway Police had opened fire to suppress the violence, resulting in the death of one army aspirant and injuring some others.

Railway Police are probing if private defence academies, training armed forces job aspirants, involved in the attack.

The directors of some private academies are suspected to have provoked the youth and mobilised them by via WhatsApp groups

They created WhatsApp groups like Hakimpet Army Soldiers, Secunderabad Railway Station Blocks, and 17/6 to circulate messages to the youth to reach the railway station for the protest.

Subba Rao is suspected to have played a key role in inciting youth. Similarly, the organiser of an academy in Karimnagar is also suspected to have mobilised the youth.

Police have arrested more than 50 suspects for the violence. They were brought to Gandhi Hospital amid tight security for medical check-up and are likely to be produced before a magistrate later.

Secunderabad Railway Police booked cases against those who indulged in violence. The accused were booked for attempt to murder, unlawful assembly and rioting.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand has directed Additional Commissioner, Crimes & SIT, and Deputy Commissioner Task Force to closely monitor the criminal cases registered by Railway Police Force, Secunderabad.

The top officials have been asked to find out the "objective, conspiracy and detailed planning which was done to create such violent incidents and damage the railway properties".

There was high drama at Gandhi Hospital on Saturday evening when Telangana Congress chief and MP A. Revanth Reddy sneaked into the hospital despite tight security to meet the youth who were injured in the police firing at Secunderabad station.

As police had stepped up security at the main entrance to stop Revanth Reddy, he entered the premises from the rear entrance and called on the youth and enquired about their condition.

In another development, the State Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto note of Friday's violence and sought a detailed report from the police.

Source: IANS with edits