Date:10/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/10/stories/2004051004640400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

25 injured as CPI(M) workers, rebels clash

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI, MAY 9. A clash between workers of the Communist Party of India-Marxist CPI(M) and its breakaway group at Mangalam area of the town left around 25 persons injured. The CPI(M) claimed that members of the rival group stoned its office and later attacked party workers with sticks and sickles. Though the police had intervened and resorted to caning to disperse the warring groups, no case was booked.

The CPI(M) had banished a splinter group three years ago for alleged anti-party activities, forcing the leader of the group and the party's former district secretary, K. Malyadri, to float his own outfit, People's Front. The CPI(M) workers and the People's Front activists have clashed earlier too, but the fights had not taken a violent turn.

This time around trouble began when the CPI(M) began refurbishment of its office building at B.T. Ranadive Nagar in Mangalam, a colony formed in 1996 in memory of the party's former Politburo member. This irked the rival outfit, which had launched a pamphlet war alleging that the CPI(M) was out to encroach the land earmarked for a hospital.

The CPI(M) district secretary, K. Murali, denied these charges and claimed that the party office had been functioning there for eight years. He also clarified that a four-acre land allotted for public purpose for the party had already been approved by the TUDA. A community hall was built on an acre last year with the funds provided by a Rajya Sabha member of the party, while the TTD had come forward to build a marriage hall in another acre, he added. Mr. Murali said a school and a hospital were also proposed in two acres.