VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada police arrested 13 persons in connection with the recent sensational gang war in the city. The arrested persons including gang leader Pandu alias Manikanta were paraded before the media here on Friday.

Giving details of the case and their investigation, Vijayawada Police Commissioner Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said that they have identified those involved in the clash with the help of CCTV footage among other sources. He said all the others involved in the incident will be arrested soon.

The police commissioner said that a skirmish over the settlement of disputed land between Thota Sandeep and Pandu alias Manikanta led to the ugly street fight between their two gangs at Patamata in the city. Sandeep succumbed to injuries in the pitched battle.

Speaking about the origin of the clash, the CP said that a dispute arose between realtors Dhanekula Sridhar and Pradeep Reddy over a joint residential apartment complex venture in Yanamalakuduru. Sandeep entered the scene on the advice of Nagababu, who is known for mediating settlements in the city. But Sandeep did not like the presence of Pandu, who was also called for settlement negotiations, and picked up a quarrel with the latter. They also developed differences over the sharing of the settlement amount. Sandeep went to the house of Pandu on the same night and had an altercation with Pandu's mother on the issue. But the dispute took an ugly turn after Pandu attempted to attack Sandeep at his shop the next morning. In the process, Pandu and his men assaulted one of Sandeep's workers there. Following provocations by each other, the two along with their gangs attacked each other with knives and sticks at Patamata in the city.

"We have formed six teams to apprehend the accused in the violent street fight case and also seized the weapons from their possession," the commissioner said.

CP Dwaraka Tirumala Rao minced no words on this occasion to issue a stern warning to anyone who intends to create an atmosphere of violence and disturb peace in the city. "Stringent action will be taken against all such elements," the CP asserted.