A fight between a student and a private hostel management over money snowballed into a riot between students of two private hostels at Kanuru, near Penamaluru police station, on Thursday. Journalists of a news channel who went to cover the incident were allegedly attacked and a camera was damaged by the hostel management that reportedly incited the brawl between the students.
According to the Pemanaluru police, the issue took place on the road near the police station in Kanuru where the hostels of the two groups were located.
Police complaints
The police said an engineering student of a nearby college had an argument with Bhagam Srilatha and others of the Chalapati Hostel over ₹1,400 payment regarding his previous stay.
On Wednesday, he was allegedly attacked by Ms. Srilatha, her husband and five other men, and the student and his friends retaliated.
Following the fight, the student and Ms. Srilatha lodged separate complaints and cases were registered under Sections 34, 506 and others of IPC, the police said.
Temporary truce
However, both the parties came to an understanding on Thursday morning and approached the police to withdraw their complaint.
When a news channel staff tried to take the version of the hostel management involved in the attack on the student, students of the two hostels — one in support of the management and the other in support of the student — allegedly clashed on the road and hurled stones at each other. The hostel management attacked the news channel staff and allegedly damaged a camera.
Following the complaint given by the journalists, the police lodged a complaint and arrested Ms. Srilatha, her husband and five others in the evening.
Earlier, journalists staged a protest outside the police station seeking justice.
