Steel plan stir: relay hunger strike tent gutted

Trade union leaders suspect foul play, seek action against the accused

The relay hunger strike tent at the Gandhi statue, near the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), set up to protest against the move to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), was gutted in a fire at around 5 a.m. on Sunday. The fire was brought under control by the fire service personnel. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Police reached the spot and gathered details. Alleging that it was the handiwork of some anti-social elements, leaders of various trade unions demanded action by the police against the accused. They said that the agitation could not be stopped by such cheap gimmicks. INTUC district president Mantri Rajashekhar, INTUC district general secretaries Nagabhushanam and K. Easwara Rao, district youth INTUC general secretary Parupudi Ravi, CITU district general secretary I.V.G.R. Kumar and city general secretary Jaggu Naidu were among those who participated in the protest at the same place on Sunday. The CPI(M) leaders wondered as how the fire had occurred when there was heavy rain on Saturday night. They said that protests would continue.