Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS): Police Sunday arrested Telangana leaders while heading to Singareni mines in Andhra Pradesh's Khammam district to express solidarity with the miners who are on strike for nearly a month demanding a Telangana state.

Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) convenor M. Kodandaram and other leaders were arrested near Pemburti in Warangal district, about 150 km from here

Anticipating disturbance of public peace, police stopped the Singareni "bus yatra" heading towards Kothagudem in Khammam.

A police officer said 16 JAC leaders were arrested under prohibitory orders and they were shifted back to Hyderabad.

Condemning the arrests, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao said the police action was undemocratic. He demanded the immediate release of JAC leaders.

In protest, JAC activists blocked roads at Aler and Bhongir in Nalgonda district.

Employees in 50 mines of state-owned Singareni spread over four districts of Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and Adilabad are on strike since Sep 13.

The strike by a majority of 70,000 employees has badly hit coal production and affected the power generation in thermal power stations.