Pawan Kalyan’s convoy restrictions allegedly cost exam chances for over 25 aspirants in Andhra
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Over 25 candidates were barred from appearing in a crucial competitive examination in Visakhapatnam on Monday after they reportedly arrived late due to traffic restrictions allegedly imposed for the smooth passage of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s convoy
The examination was scheduled to begin at 8.30 am at the ION Digital Zone building in Chinnamusidivada, Pendurthi.
B Kalavathi, the mother of a student appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination 2025, which determines admissions to National Institutes of Technology , claimed that her son was delayed due to traffic restrictions enforced for Kalyan’s convoy.
"We were stuck in traffic. It was halted because Kalyan was on his way to Araku," Kalavathi told PTI, adding that the roads were cleared to allow the actor-politician’s convoy to pass.
According to her, they reached NAD junction at 7.50 am but took 42 minutes to cover the remaining distance to the exam centre, arriving too late and being denied entry.
"Nearly 30 students were affected. We pleaded repeatedly but were not allowed in," she said, referring to their failed attempts to gain entry into the exam hall.
Anil Kumar, another parent, observed that even a five-minute exemption by the examination centre could have saved the day—and possibly an entire academic year—for his daughter, who also missed the exam.
Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will come and go, but had the police informed the exam centre and granted a five-minute exemption, Kumar said, recounting the ordeal.
Though his daughter reached the examination centre at 8.32 am, Kumar said she was denied entry due to being two minutes late.
Speaking to media, a parent appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to consider rescheduling the exam for the affected students.
Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam police issued a statement denying any connection between the convoy and the students' late arrival.
"It is clear that the Deputy CM’s movement through the area at 8.41 am has no connection to the late arrival of students, who were expected to report by 7 am and certainly before 8.30 am," the police said.
Further, the police emphasised that the number of absentees among examinees was the lowest today.
"Moreover, no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the service roads between Gopalapatnam and Pendurthi at any time before 8.30 am to ensure the free movement of examinees to the examination centre, which is located next to a service road," the police added.
The Janasena founder visited the Araku constituency on Monday to interact with tribal communities and launch a few road construction projects.
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‘Leave or else’: Hate video forces Kashmiri students out of colleges in Uttarakhand
Dehradun: In response to a threatening video circulating on social media, in which a Hindu Raksha Dal leader warned Kashmiri Muslims to leave Uttarakhand by 10 a.m. or face consequences, Dehradun Police have stepped up security and removed 25 inflammatory posts online.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Lalit Sharma, a Hindu Raksha Dal leader, stated in the video that they are hurt by the incident which took place in Pahalgam. “If we see any Kashmiri Muslim in the state after 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, we will give them the right treatment. Tomorrow, all our workers will leave their homes to give this treatment to Kashmiri Muslims. We won’t wait for the government to take action,” he warned, reiterating that Kashmiri Muslims will face unimaginable action if they do not leave by 10:00 a.m.
The threat prompted immediate concern among Kashmiri students studying in Dehradun. A student at Doon PG College noted that at least five Kashmiri students had already abandoned their exams and left for the airport. “Fifteen students have an exam today and we have come to the college. They were getting threats from right-wing groups,” TIE report quoted him as saying.
Similarly, a second-year BSc student at BFIT Dehradun mentioned that he and his friends booked an evening flight on Thursday after receiving the ultimatum. He shared that their professors advised them to relocate to a safer area 50 km away. “They were thinking of sending us to Chandigarh but we decided to leave the campus at around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday and take a flight to Delhi. Our professor gave us his car and guard,” he said. The student added that they will stay in Kashmir till September as their summer break will begin soon.
Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh assured that local law enforcement is in direct contact with college deans and wardens to guarantee the safety of Kashmiri students. “All are assured of security, and anyone breaking the law will face strict action,” Singh was quoted as saying by TIE.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said his government was in touch with governments of states where Kashmiris were allegedly being harassed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
"The J&K government is in touch with the governments of the states where these reports are originating from. I'm also in touch with my counterpart Chief Ministers in these states and have requested they take extra care," Abdullah posted on X.
8th Incident: Second Open Threat Call.
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) April 24, 2025
Hindutva outfit Hindu Raksha Dal has once again openly issued threats to identify and physically assault Kashmiri Muslim students in Uttarakhand starting today allegedly in retaliation for the tragic killing of tourists in Pahalgam. Members… pic.twitter.com/9x8V3yy7UD
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