An eerie calm prevailed on Tuesday at Rajupalem where trouble broke out after a place of worship belonging to a minority community was removed on Monday.
Superintendent of Police K. Raghuram Reddy said the situation was under control .
A strong posse of police force, including those in riot-gear, conducted flag marches in the village and in communally sensitive areas here.
Heavy police pickets were posted in the village. Section 145 was invoked by the Mandal Revenue Officer to prevent breach of peace in the disputed land, said Ongole II Town Circle Inspector N. Srikant Babu, who was supervising the security arrangements. Trouble started when members of the minority community tried to erect a permanent structure in place of a temporary structure, close to a pipal tree in the colony of the BCs .
The warring groups called on Congress MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy here and sought his intervention
Revenue and police officials began negotiations with members of the two communities. “We have suggested an alternative site, 100 m from the disputed site for the place of worship,” the MRO said.
The Kothapatnam police registered a case of rioting, unlawful assembly.
