Date:16/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/16/stories/2008091659730500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Suicide drama disrupts traffic

Staff Reporter

Man threatens to jump from hoarding along with 5 children

HYDERABAD: A suicide drama enacted by six persons who climbed atop a hoarding on the busy Banjara Hills road on Monday morning disrupted traffic movement for almost four hours.

Traffic moved at a snail’s pace along the Punjagutta circle and Road No.3 of Banjara Hills causing inconvenience to office-goers. Vehicles coming from Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills towards Punjagutta crossroads were caught in a gridlock. The tension-packed high drama began when an activist of the Praja Shanti Party Sudheer Kumar climbed the hoarding along with five children around 8.30 a.m. and threatened to jump if the government failed to fulfil his demands. On learning about the incident, the police rushed to the spot and started persuading Kumar with the help of another activist K. Srinivas Rao who was present at the place. After much persuasion, Kumar along with children came down around 12.30 p.m., said Banjara Hills Sub-Inspector M. Ravinder Reddy.

Kumar demanded withdrawal of cases booked against PSP founder and evangelist K. A. Paul in Medak district, and grant of permission for Mr.Paul’s meetings. . Children aged around 15 years and residents of nearby Premnagar later told the police that they were offered Rs.500 each to climb the hoarding. Based on their complaint, the police took Kumar and Rao into custody.