Cong., TDP men clash in Guntur, Cuddapah dts.

By Our Staff Reporter

NARSARAOPET, AUG. 20. Two groups belonging to the Congress and Telugu Desam clashed around 6 a.m., an hour before polling commenced at Vadlamudivaripalem of Rompicherla mandal in Narsaraopet Assembly constituency.

When the two groups hurled bombs at each other the Sub-Inspector of Police, Mr. K. Ramesh Babu, was injured. He was treated as an out-patient at the Narsaraopet hospital. The local legislator and former Minister, Dr. Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, staged a dharna at Vadlamudivaripalem, demanding a repoll. He alleged that Congressmen resorted to rigging.

The Joint Collector, Mr. Anil Kumar Singhal, was deputed to tackle the issue. After an-hour-long persuasion, Dr. Sivaprasada Rao called off his dharna without withdrawing his demand. Though polling was over by 1 p.m. counting was not taken up at this village.

Elsewhere, supporters of the Congress and the TDP hurled bombs at each other for almost 30 minutes at Allurivaripalem in Narsaraopet rural police station limits. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the clashing groups. Six persons were injured at Jaggapuram village of Yedlapadu mandal when both groups hurled bombs at each other. One of them received a serious head injury.

Our Cuddapah Staff Reporter writes:

TDP and Congressmen clashed on Monday, for a second time within the last three days, in Dumpalagattu village in Khajipet mandal with country-made bombs and opened fire at each other with country-made firearms for about two hours, leading to injuries to about half a dozen persons.

Rival groups led by Mr. Venkata Subba Reddy of TDP and Mr. Subba Reddy of Congress hurled bombs at will and fired at each other with country-made rifles. The provocation was said to be the differences that cropped up during the panchayat ward member elections held on August 17. The rioting mobs broke open the doors of some rivals and ransacked the houses for about an hour and half. Tension gripped Dumpalagattu village after the group clash and all male members fled the village around noon.

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Section  : Southern States
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