The MPTC and ZPTC election turned violent in parts of Nalgonda district on Sunday resulting in the death of a TDP activist and injuries to two others at Polenigudem village of Chilukur mandal late on Saturday night. The clashes began when four Congress activists in the village visited SC colony to meet some voters, persuading them to vote in favour of Congress.
DSP, Suryapet, Sravan Kumar, told The Hindu that the four accused were drunk. As some residents refused to heed their appeal, the youth went berserk attacking them with sticks. M. Seetaiah, 60, died in the attack and two youths were injured seriously. Seetaiah suffered serious injuries on his ribs and he succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment in hospital.
Mild lathi chargeThe two injured, Yellagani Veera Swamy (30) and Badida Anil (20), suffered fractures on their hands while defending themselves. The police arrived on the scene and resorted to a mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control. At around 3 a.m. on Sunday, the villagers got to know that Seetaiah died in hospital. They tried to attack Congress MPTC candidate, Venkat Reddy, who fled in his car, but found a road block and drove into the fields. He ran to safety leaving his car midway, when the mob set the car on fire. The police deployed a large force in the village and conducted the polling amid tension.
Re-polling held todayBesides this major incident, a number of stray incidents occurred in Miryalaguda, Suryapet and Deverakonda divisions for which the polling was conducted on Sunday.
At Hemla Tanda of Mellacheruvu mandal, TDP and Congress activists clashed and damaged the furniture when the presiding officer stopped the polling for a while.
The polling at a tribal tanda in Mellachervu mandal also turned violent as CPI (M) and Congress workers clashed and pelted stones at each other. At Patharlapadu village of Atmakur (S) mandal, BJP and TRS activists clashed.
Meanwhile, an elderly woman, Yellamma, died in Atmakur mandal while walking into a polling station with heart attack before casting her vote.
Congress, TDP clashAt Vailasingaram village of Nadigudem mandal, Congress and TDP activists clashed. Congress and TDP activists also clashed at Vardhamanukota village of Jajireddygudem mandal, while TRS and Congress activists had a tiff at Keethavarigudem village of Garidepally mandal. Polling was stopped for a while at Rangundla village of Anumula mandal because a large number of people thronged the polling station making things difficult for the police.
