Visakhapatnam: Young policemen in plainclothes posed as students and shared key information about the protesters’ plans to police officers for preventive arrest of the youngsters and students who geared up to stage a silent protest demanding special category status to AP at RK Beach on Thursday. Normally on weekends and holidays, at least two lakh people visit the RK Beach. But on Thursday, it wore a deserted look and a curfew-like atmosphere prevailed and the beach road was crowded with men-in-khaki only.

Police sources said that the cops in plain clothes at various places in the city have gathered concrete information about the assembling of the protesters. Based on the inputs, the police forces rushed to the spot and taken many youngsters into custody. The much-hyped AP Youth’s silent protest and YSRC’s candle light rally for demanding specials category status to Andhra Pradesh at RK Beach in Vizag city on Thursday fizzled out amid heavy police presence, said a police officer, on condition of anonymity.


However, the Vizagites have expressed displeasure over the heavy presence of police and the police restrictions such as Section 144 of CrPC. “Though I purchased tickets for a movie (mor-ning show on Thursday) at Varun Inox, the cops didn’t allow me to go to the theatre citing that they have imposed several restrictions,” said S. Santhosh Kumar, a Vizagite. To foil the protests and prevent people coming to the city from neighbouring districts, over 20 check-posts were set up at all entry points.