Andhra town limps back towards normalcy after violence
Naveen S Garewal
Hyderabad, May 25
After a day of violence that saw vandalism and violence leading to injury to several people, the Amalapuram town in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh is slowly limping back to normalcy.
The Andhra Pradesh Police has detained nearly fifty people for arson and violence, including the one’s accused of setting a political leader’s residence ablaze in Amalapuram town in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. These protestors were protesting re-naming thenewly created Konaseema district as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district.
The arrests have been made after identifying the culprits from hundreds of CCTV cameras across the city. A majority of the people were indulged in vandalism outside the Collectorate’s office at Amalapuram town.
Police said six different cases had been registered. A large force has been deployed in the town to ensure the situation remains under control, Range DIG of Eluru, Pala Raju media. They vandalised the house ofstate minister P. Viswaroop. But the minister’s family members escaped unhurt as the police had shifted them to a safe place. Apart from this, the house of a ruling YSR Congress MLA Ponnada Satish was also torched by protestors.
The DIG said people from various communities came to protest at the collector’s office. Six people were asked to hand over a representation to the collector. But in the meantime, some pelted stones and the people started violence in retaliation.
Checkpoints have been set up at sensitive points, and SPs from neighbouring districts have been brought in to assist the district police. Around two dozen policemen were also injured in the violence on Tuesday evening. Police have imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, banning meetings and rallies.
The situation is now reported to be peaceful, but the police remain on alert. The Konaseema district was carved out from East Godavari with Amalapuram as its headquarters. It was one of the 13 districts created on April 4, taking the total number of districts in the state to 26.
