Stray incidents of hooliganism in Hyderabad marred an otherwise uneventful bandh that saw all political parties calling for 42% reservation for backward classes in local civic bodies.
Violence was reported from Nallakunta, Barkatpura and Abids in Hyderabad as groups of men on motorbikes targeted a petrol station, an electronics showroom and even a tiffin centre, demanding they close in solidarity with the bandh. The police arrived at the scene and pushed the protesters out.
However, the bandh had negligible impact on civic life in Hyderabad and in districts where private buses were plying normally, autorickshaw traffic was unaffected, petrol stations were open and shops were also functioning normally. Both private and public schools remained closed.
District commuters for Deepavali who had reservations with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGRTC) were the worst affected as the transporter sent out messages about not being able to run the service during the day due to the bandh.
RTC buses were off the roads till noon when basic services resumed from almost all depots in the city. Hyderabad Metro Rail services were not affected during the day.
“If shops and restaurants are working, it doesn’t feel like a bandh to me. Earlier, whenever there was a bandh, we were afraid to take out our vehicles. Now everything is working. We have fewer shops as some of these offices are also closed,” said Shankar, an auto driver standing near AAA Cinemas in Ameerpet.
Published – 18 October 2025 21:50 IST
