Hyderabad, Dec 3 (IANS) Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao was Thursday shifted from Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam to a hospital here in view of his deteriorating condition as he continues his fast unto death demanding a separate state of Telangana.
Massive security arrangements have been made at the Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where KCR, as Rao is popularly known, is admitted. A large number of TRS workers have gathered to know the condition of their leader.

A team of doctors headed by NIMS director Prasada Rao is attending on KCR, in judicial custody till Dec 12, who was shifted to Hyderabad by police late Wednesday night amid tight security. This followed repeated requests by the TRS and directions from the State Human Rights Commission.

TRS ideologue Jayashankar told reporters that KCR was running high temperature and had turned weak. He said the TRS chief was angry over the government’s silence on the demand for a separate Telangana state and would continue the fast.

Another TRS leader E. Rajender threatened to lay siege on the homes of Congress leaders if the government failed to give any categorical assurance on separate statehood.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah had said Wednesday that the central leadership of Congress was seized of the matter and that the United Progressive Alliance government was trying to evolve a consensus on the issue.

Alarmed by the growing unrest in the region, Rosaiah also sent Labour Minister R. Venkat Reddy to Khammam to hold talks with KCR, who said he would talk only to those who could take a decision on the statehood demand.

TRS has demanded that KCR be released and all cases against him withdrawn.

The TRS chief was arrested near Karimnagar town on Sunday ahead of his fast unto death at Siddipet. He was taken to Khammam, where a local court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

He launched the hunger strike in Khammam sub-jail but was shifted to a local hospital after his condition started deteriorating. He broke the fast Monday evening after suicides by three TRS supporters and violent protests rocked the region. He resumed the next day after supporters staged protests against him for calling off the fast.

Protests continue in Telangana, comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad. For the fifth consecutive day, students in Osmania University here and other universities in the region took out rallies expressing solidarity with KCR.

Students, lawyers, a section of doctors, government employees besides TRS workers are staging protests, relay hunger strikes, rallies and road blockades in various districts.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions remained shut in most parts of the region for the fourth day.