Date:22/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/22/stories/2008072259690600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Araku Valley: five more buildings razed

Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: The famous tourist spot Araku Valley, about 100 km from here, was tense after five buildings belonging to the non-Girijans were pulled down while a shopkeeper was beaten up at the revenue division headquarters of Paderu as the Girijans led by the AP Girijana Sangham and CPI(M) enforced a bandh in the Visakha Agency on Monday.

Araku Valley observed bandh for the fifth successive day after the Girijana Sangham and CPI(M) activists on July 17 pulled down eight of the disputed buildings which were being constructed in violation of the 1/70 Regulation that prohibits non-Girijans from acquiring immovable property in the Agency area. The Girijana Sangham gave call for a bandh to be observed on Monday in the 11 mandals of Visakha Agency in protest against the arrests. But tension gripped the non-locals on Monday as five more buildings were attacked. About 2,000 Girijans gathered at Araku Valley. CPI (M) district secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao demanded withdraw al of cases against the Girijans immediately.