Friday, January 21 2005 15:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: A day after threatening to review its alliance with ruling Congress on the alleged mishandling of naxalite issue, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) took to streets today (Jan 21, 2005) organising a sit-in to protest against what it called 'fake police encounters'.

A group of over 60 activists belonging to TRS youth wing, led by its president Prabhakar, sat in dharna near the State Assembly demanding an immediate halt to killing of naxalites and their sympathisers in police encounters and resumption of peace talks with Maoist organisations.

The protestors also raised slogans against the police for violating ceasefire agreement and eliminating naxalites and their sympathisers in 'fake encounters'.

They also demanded steps to create congenial atmosphere to carry forward the dialogue process.

The TRS, a partner in the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre and in the State, is peeved over the growing incidents of encounter killings and hardening stand of the ruling Congress towards naxalites.

The killing of a TRS activist in a police encounter in Warangal district on January 16 had further incensed the Telangana party which called for putting an end to combing operations and an inquiry into police encounters during the ceasefire period.

Signalling growing friction with Congress, the TRS had yesterday threatened to ''review its relationship with the Government'' if it failed to address the urgent issues including stopping police encounters and combing operations.

A delegation comprising four TRS Ministers, 14 Legislators and other party leaders from Telangana region had met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and called for urgent measures to save the peace talks from collapsing.

"If the Government refuses to take note of our advice, we will have to take our own decision on the future of our relationship with the Government," the TRS leaders said in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.

"We are pained by growing police encounters in the State during the last 15 days. We fail to understand why the Government is unable to maintain restraint and condemn the measures that have only resulted in vitiating the peaceful atmosphere," the memorandum had said.