New Delhi: Days after successive political events led to stampedes that have killed a total of 11 people in the state, the Andhra Pradesh government has banned assembly and processions on public roads and streets.The government notification mentions the Kandukuru stampede during a meeting of Telugu Desam Party chief and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on December 28. Eight people died in the incident.Four days after that, on January 1, three women were killed and several others were injured at a TDP gift-distribution programme attended by Naidu near Amaravati.The stampedes had led to a slugfest between the TDP and the ruling YSR Congress government under Jaganmohan Reddy. The former held that the latter was responsible for the deaths because the government did not deploy adequate police at the events. The Jagan government countered this by alleging that events were held in narrow roads so that drone shots would give the impression of thick crowds.The order, issued on January 2 by Andhra Pradesh home department principal secretary Harish Kumar Gupta under the Police Act, 1861, was tweeted by journalist S.N.V. Sudhir on January 3.AP Home dept issued GO disallowing meetings on roads & roadside margins to avoid any inconvenience to public. Move comes after Kandukur tragedy in which 8 were killed in @ncbn’s roadshow. Police to suggest alternatives like open grounds etc to applicants if any. @TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/ttZc72EzOk— SNV Sudhir (@sudhirjourno) January 3, 2023The government, the order says, has “observed that public meetings on such roads cause huge inconvenience to the general public and the conduct of such public meetings also have proven to lead to injuries and deaths.” The immediate context is the incident at Kandukuru, it said.Narrow roads, absence of multiple exit points and sudden surge of crowds by organisers lead to difficulties in controlling crowds, the government order said.The order states that no permission will be granted for meetings on National Highways and state highways, and nor could such events be held on municipal and panchayat roads.Only in rare and exceptional circumstances and with reasons recorded in writing can permission be granted for such meetings, the order said.“Police may suggest alternative locations away from public roads subject to condition that the meetings should not obstruct free flow of traffic on public roads and for the safety of the travelling public,” the order said.Emergency services, movement of essential commodities and other functions should not be impeded, it noted.