14 United AP activists imprisoned for 10 years

PRODDATUR: In a sensational judgment, Proddatur Assistant Sessions Court Senior Civil Judge A Srinivas Kumar on Friday sentenced 14 Samaikyandhra activists, accused of torching a BSNL office in Kondapuram, to 10 years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each.They were also sentenced to an additional six months in prison and slapped with a fine of Rs 5,000 each for obstructing the staff on duty.After Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s Dec 9, 2009 announcement in favour of a separate Telangana State, protests broke out in Andhra and Rayalaseema.  As part of the agitation, on December 19, Samaikyandhra activists ransacked the BSNL office in Kondapuram and set the office machinery on fire. They also damaged a cell tower causing a loss of Rs one crore to the BSNL.Kondapuram SI Reddy Sekhar Reddy had booked cases against 14 activists - C Rajanarasimha Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy, Siva Shankar, Ramaiah, A Venkatakrishanaiah, Pradeep Chandra Reddy, Venkata Narasimha Reddy, Bala Nagi Reddy, Lakshminarayana Reddy, Sundaraiah, AB Nazar, Dastagiri, Beedila Basha and Ramasubbaiah.The verdict evoked sharp reactions from Samaikyandhra leaders who expressed shock and assured the 14 activists not to worry. MLC D Narayana Reddy met them and promised to wage a legal battle on their behalf.