Protests held by members of the Kapu community seeking reservation turned violent on Sunday when they set eight bogies of Ratnachal Express on fire at Tuni railway station in the Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, reported Deccan Chronicle. Several railway officials were injured as the angry mob resorted to stone pelting and some trains were delayed due to the commotion. The members of the community had assembled to attend the Kapu Aaikya Garjana (unity meet) led by former MP and protagonist of the movement Mudragada Padmanabham.
Over 2 lakh protesters also blocked the Chennai-Kolkata national highway, demanding the inclusion of their caste in the Backward Classes list. Protests have spread to Vijayawada and blockades were also reported in Krishnalanka. The protesters claimed that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu failed to keep his promise of reservation for the community, and only formed a commission to look into their demands.
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