Andhra Pradesh

Rival groups clash in A.P.; police open fire

Staff Reporter

KADAPA: In the first major political clash in the run-up for panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh, rival groups headed by Kamalapuram MLA G. Veerasiva Reddy and Congress incharge of Kamalapuram constituency Putha Narasimha Reddy threw stones at each other in Kogatam village in Kamalapuram constituency on Wednesday.

Though the clash led to police firing and tension in Kogatam, the native village of Kamalapuram MLA, there were no casualties on either side but stone-pelting left about a dozen activists injured, according to the police. Kadapa Additional SP M. Lakshmi Reddy, DSP M. Ramprasada Rao, Proddatur DSP S.M. Basha and additional police forces rushed to the place. The police opened six rounds of fire to quell clashing mobs. After gaining control of the situation, Mr. Lakshmi Reddy ordered preventive arrest of Mr. Veerasiva Reddy and Mr. Narasimha Reddy and some of their followers.

Mr. Veerasiva Reddy and his followers were lodged in Yerraguntla police station and Mr. Narasimha Reddy and his men were lodged in Kamalapuram police station. Mr. Veerasiva Reddy had been hobnobbing with Congress ever since his suspension from the Telugu Desam Party last year. The police posted pickets in Kogatam to avert any further clashes and sent away all political activists, who came from other places.

Trouble began with Mr. Veerasiva Reddy's followers objecting to the participation of Mr. Narasimha Reddy and Mr. Mallikarjuna Reddy, a close relative of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, to a luncheon meeting organised at MLA's brother Santi Veera Reddy's house. Mr. Veerasiva Reddy's group did not like entry of his rival into local politics and raised objections.

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