A clash between two groups in Prattikollalanka, a fishermen village located near Kolleru lake, reportedly left a 60-year old man dead and two police personnel injured in the early hours of Thursday.
While the rival group claimed that the deceased man, Ghantasala Nageshwara Rao, died of a heart attack, his relatives alleged that he died during the clash, following which the police registered a case of murder.
The fishermen habitation, in which the Vaddi community is predominant, has been reeling under prohibitory orders (in force under section 144 of Cr.P.C.) for the last two months following recurring group clashes over sharing of proceeds accruing from fishponds, in the form of lease, among the residents.
According to sources, Ghantasala Nageswara Rao, father of the village vice-sarpanch Ghantalasala Mahalaksma Raju, reportedly collapsed on the premises of the village panchayat office following an attack by the rival group and he was later declared `brought dead’ in a hospital in Vijayawada.
Eluru (rural) SI Phanindra and Constable B. Mohan sustained injuries as rioters pelted stones. Mr. Raju staged a demonstration outside the rural police station, alleging that his father was murdered by the rival group, who maintained that he died of a heart attack. The police registered a case of murder following a demand from Mr. Raju. Eluru DSP Satti Babu said a case of assault was also registered against 20 persons in connection with the attack on the SI and the Constable.
Mr. Raju further alleged that the rival group, which attacked his father, had the backing of a section of police officials and the Denduluru MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Mr. Raju was allegedly banished from the village by the rival group on the charge of misusing the fishpond lease amounts ranging up to Rs 20 crore. Violence broke out again with his re-entry into the village two days back.
The village has fishponds on 150 acres of government land, which is considered as common property of the inhabitants, and the ponds generate around Rs 10 crore as lease per annum. Mr. Raju is charged with having failed to equitably distribute the lease amounts to the village inhabitants for the last two years.