X-Mas welcome relief to storm in T

Hyderabad, Dec 25: It was a virtual `good Friday’ coinciding with the X-mas Celebrations across Andhra Pradesh while the Telangana districts remained by and large peaceful.However, the student protests are under way for the second day in succession after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s announcement on Wednesday that the process for Telangana state formation comes to a hold for ensuring a consensus decision on the issue.Following an appeal by Christian groups, the Joint Action Committee on Thursday announced relaxation of the 48-hour bandh to facilitate X-mas Celebrations in the nine Telangana districts besides Hyderabad.

The markets and commercial establishments in the city lifted their shutters a wee bit late on Friday due to the sudden fall in night temperature. However, petrol bunks remained closed.The students of Osmania University here and at Kakatiya University at Warangal, however, resumed their indefinite fast demanding immediate commencement of the process for constituting a separate Telangana state.Additional reinforcements and troops, airlifted from the neighbouring states were drafted to maintain law & order. The Osmania University campus on Friday looked like a war-ravaged zone with the Khakis forbidding every stranger including media persons from entering the campus. Popular ballad singer Gaddar who came to meet the student leaders on fast was prevented entry to the campus.