Dozens of buses were burnt or damaged as Telugu Desam Party workers went on the rampage in Andhra Pradesh protesting against the killing of party legislator Paritala Ravi in a bomb attack in Anantapur on Monday afternoon.
"We are rushing in additional forces to Anantapur district. The superintendents of police in all districts have already been alerted to meet the situation. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 (CrPC) have been promulgated at several places. The police will do its best to meet the situation," Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen said.
Also read: TDP MLA killed in bomb attack
The DGP said that apart from Paritala Ravi, a police gunman was killed and three others injured in the "unfortunate incident" in Anantapur.
TDP workers tried to attack Anantapur District Superintendent of Police R S Praveen Kumar, but they were dispersed by the DSP's security staff.
The police opened fire in the air at some places in Anantapur to disperse rioting agitators. In a couple of places, unruly mobs attacked police stations.
In Gajuwaka, angry TDP workers tried to stop the convoy of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, but the police used force to disperse them.
Raising slogans against the chief minister, Panchayat Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy and the state police, protestors forced closure of shops and business establishments in various towns.
In Hyderabad, Anantapur, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Nizamabad and several other places, TDP workers burnt down or damaged a large number of state transport buses.
An Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation spokesman said over 100 buses were targeted by angry mobs at various places in the couple of hours after the MLA's killing. "Reports are still pouring in about the damage to our buses," he said.
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