Secunderabad violence: Tearful adieu to Rakesh, TRS Ministers turn up for funeral

Police sources said that two young men were initially found to have set fire to the bogies. Santosh, a resident of Kamareddy and Prithviraj, a resident of Adilabad, were found carrying petrol and setting the bogies on fire. "They thought if bogies were burned, the centre would focus on the issue and make a decision on Agnipath," police said.

Secunderabad: The last rites of Damodar Rakesh (23) who was killed in a police firing during a protest at the Secunderabad Railway station were performed in his native Dabeerpet village in the Warangal district of Telangana on Saturday amid heavy security. Large police contingents were deployed in the area in view of the violent protests and shutdown called by the ruling TRS.

Hundreds of people including several TRS leaders and ministers paid homage to Rakesh before he was cremated. State Ministers E. Dayakar Rao, Satyavathi Rathod, MP M. Kavitha, MLAs Vinay Bhaskar, P. Sudershan Reddy along with other TRS leaders took part in the funeral procession and paid tributes to Rakesh. Earlier in the day, scores of people took part in the funeral procession of Rakesh which started from MGM Hospital in Warangal and then reached Narsampet from where the body was brought to the village.

The situation became tense at one point during the funeral procession when TRS workers objected to the presence of Congress MLA Seethakka which led to a heated argument between the two sides. TRS workers allegedly roughed up some Congress workers. Police swung into action and escorted the Congress MLA out of the procession.

During the day State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy was prevented by police from participating in the funeral procession. He was arrested when he was on his way to the Warangal district. Police stopped Reddy at Ghatkesar which led to protests by Congress workers. Reddy demanded to know why he was being stopped by police from participating in the funeral procession when TRS workers were allowed to take part in it. He accused TRS of resorting to politics over the death of Rakesh. Police later shifted Reddy to Ghatkesar police station.

There was mild tension during the procession route at the Pocham Maidan area of Warangal when some protesters smashed the window panes of a BSNL office and raised slogans against the Centre. However, police soon brought it under control. TRS observed a shutdown in the Narsampet Assembly constituency. Shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed in the constituency.

So far 30 people have been arrested in connection to the violent protests against the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces at the Secunderabad Railway station. The protests took place on Friday. Police said that they have received evidence that some of the Army aspirants were provoked by WhatsApp messages and audio messages.

"Members of Whatsapp groups named Hakimpet Army Soldiers and Secunderabad Railway Station Blocks were actively involved in this incident," police sources said. According to police, investigators found that other what's app groups such as the 17/6 group were also involved in the incident. Police are also suspecting Subbarao, administrator of Sai Defense Academy from Andhra Pradesh, and Wasim, manager of Star Defense Academy, Karimnagar may have provoked the young men. Already police have arrested Avula Subbarao in Khammam.

Police sources said that two young men were initially found to have set fire to the bogies. Santosh, a resident of Kamareddy, and Prithviraj, a resident of Adilabad, were found carrying petrol and setting the bogies on fire. "They thought if bogies were burned, the Centre would focus on the issue and make a decision on Agnipath," police said. A total of 52 suspects have been arrested so far by the police.

Watch:Agnipath scheme: Protests during funeral procession of man killed in Hyderabad

The protests at Secunderabad Railway station have resulted in severe property damage for the Railways. According to Railways officials, the protesters attacked the East Coast, Ajanta and Rajkot express trains. Stones were thrown at an MMTS engine. Three bogies, including two parcel vans, were set on fire. Secunderabad Divisional Railway Manager AK Gupta said the damage was initially estimated at over Rs 12 crore. More than 77 bogie mirrors were smashed. The mirrors of eight locomotives were also destroyed. Parcel vans on the East Coast, Rajkot, and Ajanta Expresses were torched.