Telangana march: Statues of Telugu personalities damaged
March 11th, 2011 - 12:31 am ICT by IANS
Hyderabad, March 10 (IANS) Statues of 16 Telugu poets, writers and rulers were vandalised by Telangana protesters during the ‘million march’ at Tank Bund here Thursday.
The protestors demolished some statues and threw them in Hussain Sagar Lake and disfigured the others. The historic figures belonging to Andhra and Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh became the target.
The statues of famous Telugu poets Yerrapragada, Sri Sri, Gurram Jashuva, Annamayya and Vemana, the famous king of Vijayanagar empire Srikrishnadevaraya and social reformer Kandukuri Veeresalingam were completely or partially damaged.
The mob also destroyed the platforms on which the statues were installed and even removed plates carrying their names and brief history.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Arun Sabarwal said a total of 16 statues were damaged.
The attackers also left long ropes around the necks of some statues and put up flags and banners of various parties.
It was in 1980s that the then chief minister N.T. Rama Rao had installed the statues of 33 historical figures of Telugus on Tank Bund along the lake to highlight the contributions they made for the growth of Telugu language and culture.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has condemned the damage caused to the statues. He said damaging the statues of personalities who brought laurels to the state and to the nation was highly condemnable.
- 48 held for vandalising statues of Andhra icons - Mar 11, 2011
- Row over re-installation of demolished statues of Telugu icons - Mar 14, 2011
- Telangana march violence was pre-planned: Chief minister (Lead) - Mar 11, 2011
- Destruction of statues rocks Andhra assembly - Mar 11, 2011
- Thousands defy government, march for Telangana - Mar 10, 2011
- Attempt to damage statue of Telugu leader Potti Sriramulu - Oct 29, 2010
- Telangana million march begins despite police ban - Mar 10, 2011
- Hundreds march in Hyderabad for Anna Hazare - Aug 16, 2011
- Crackers and cries of joy in Hyderabad - Apr 03, 2011
- Thousands participate in Telangana march (Lead) - Mar 10, 2011
- Million march: Hyderabad comes to standstill as routes sealed (Lead) - Mar 10, 2011
- TRS to intensify Telangana movement with road, rail blockades - May 12, 2011
- Hyderabad braces for Telangana million march - Mar 09, 2011
- Protests in Telangana mark Andhra Pradesh formation day - Nov 01, 2011
- Routes in Hyderabad sealed to foil Telangana march - Mar 10, 2011
Tags: annamayya, arun, attackers, chief minister, commissioner of police, deputy commissioner, flags and banners, hussain sagar lake, kiran kumar, language and culture, laurels, protestors, rama rao, social reformer, sri sri, statues, tank bund, target, telangana, telugus