Panchayat Elections: TDP Activists Attack YSRCP Supporters In Srikakulam

SRIKAKULAM: Post the panchayat elections in the State of Andhra Pradesh, two different incidents of attacks on YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) supporters over the past two days by  the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)  left several people injured in the clashes that erupted in Mettavalasa and Chillapetarajam villages in Srikakulam district.

On Monday a clash erupted between workers of TDP and YSRCP in Mettavalasa village of Srikakulam where 16 persons were injured after the panchayat elections results were declared. The TDP workers had a verbal clash with YSRCP workers which led to a fight leaving 16 people injured. The police  were called in  and rushed to the spot and dispersed the groups. The injured persons were sent to Government General Hospital in nearby Rajam town. The police  have set up a picket in the village to prevent any untoward incidents in the village.

In another incident at Chillapetarajam  in Ranasthalam mandal indulged in violence after a YSRCP candidate won the Sarpanch post. Polly They also attacked  policemen with sticks, stones and bottles leaving four policemen injured in the incident. With this, special police forces reached the village and went on a rampage thrashing villagers on sight.

A YSRCP backed supporter Kambapu  Asirithalli, who won as Sarpanch, was also hit by the cops and her husband's hand was broken in the lathi charge. Police have registered a case against 11 people in connection with the incident.

As per details the YSRCP backed candidate Kambapu Asirithalli won the Chillapetarajam panchayat election with a majority of 49 votes. However, some people have created rumors that TDP supporters have won thereby leading to clashes between both  the parties. The two factions clashed. Upon receiving the information, the SEB police reached the village around 11 PM in the night  and tried to disperse the two groups. SI Ashok Babu, along with three constables, were injured when TDP cadres attacked the police with sticks and  also threw stones and bottles at them. With this, a large number of special police forces led by SP Amit Bardar reached Chillapetarajam.

Special police forces reached the village  and resorted to lathi charge and beat up everyone in order to control the situation. Police went to the newly elected sarpanch's house between one and two o'clock in the morning on Sunday, thrashed her husband Narsimhulu Reddy indiscriminately  and broke his hand and roughed up the house.

A similar situation prevailed in many  other houses in the village leaving the villagers in a state of panic.Car and auto windows were broken, more than 50 bikes were wrecked and there was chaos everywhere. The villagers were outraged by the way the police resorted to indiscriminate attacks on the hapless villagers and wrecked their homes even when they were not concerned with  TDP attacks.

JR puram SI Vasunarayana said that 11 people have been arrested so far and a case has been registered and investigated.

Etcherla MLA Gorle Kiran Kumar assured  all support to the victims  and visited the injured YSRCP supporters in the hospital in Chillapetarajam. He condemned the police action against innocent bystanders.