Angry protests continued in Seemandhra regions on Tuesday against an impending decision on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. With pro-unified AP crusaders, opposed to the formation of a separate Telangana, performing pujas in temples in Visakhapatnam, employees of Vizag Steel Plant hit the streets, shouting slogans against the proposal to divide the state.

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Protests spilled on to the streets of Vijayawada as well, with thousands of students joining the agitators to press for a unified state. Students skipped their periodic tests to join the agitation along with thousands of workers and employees. In Tirupathi, a large number of students joined a public meeting organised by AP NGOs’ association. The temple town reverberated with their slogan-shouting against a decision in favour of statehood for Telangana.

There were vociferous protests in Eluru and Bhimavaram towns in West Godavari district as well. Protesters laid siege to the residence of Bhimavaram legislator Anjibabu, demanding his resignation. Relay fasts were held in Tanuku town.

Meanwhile, intensified protests in the Seemandhra regions prompted the state and the sentral governments to step up security. Additional paramilitary and security forces have been rushed to several parts of the state. In Vijayawada, at least five platoons of paramilitary forces drawn from Karnataka have been deployed. Local police and CRPF personnel have also been put on high alert.