A disturbed peace prevailed in Armoor town of Nizamabad district as the strike called by all the opposition parties in protest against Monday's police firing on farmers brought the normal life to a standstill. Four persons and ten police men were injured in the violence during the farmers protest demanding the payment for red jowar from a local dealer Mahipal Reddy. The farmers who were sitting on a hunger strike for the last four days protesting against the non payment of their dues by the dealer took to the streets and attacked the house of Mahipal Reddy and another dealer Anand Reddy. They also indulged in stone pelting injuring ten policemen and burnt four vehicles. Two farmers, Shekhar Reddy and Rajanna, were injured when the police opened fire to quell the mob. Two others including a student was also injured in the police lathi charge. Shekhar Reddy was shifted to the Nizam's institute of medical sciences in Hyderabad where his condition was stated to be critical. Condemning the police firing on farmers, opposition parties gave a strike call under the banner of all parties action committee. Their leaders also observed hunger strike today. All the shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed. With buses and other vehicles staying off, the roads wore a deserted look. Strike cripples Darjeeling Meanwhile, protesters shut down Darjeeling hills on Tuesday, threatening its tea and tourism industries, as the Gorkha community pressed its demand for autonomy with an indefinite strike. Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalis, are demanding a separate state of “Gorkhaland” be carved out of the eastern state of West Bengal to protect their culture and heritage. Streets were deserted in Darjeeling on Tuesday. __
