At least 20 police personnel, including Konaseema Superintendent of Police K.S.S.V. Subba Reddy and DSP Y. Madhava Reddy, were injured in a clash on Tuesday between the police and protesters over the proposal for renaming Konaseema district as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.
Violence broke out when the police attempted to prevent a procession which was taken out by people from different sections as part of ‘Chalo Amalapuram’, opposing the change of the district’s name. Local residents of Konaseema district formed different groups under various banners and joined the march.
In the first phase of the clash reported in the afternoon, the protesters targeted police personnel by resorting to stone-pelting. The SP and other senior officials were injured and were rushed to the KIMS hospital for treatment. However, there was no casualty in the clash. Mr. Subba Reddy said police personnel received minor injuries in the clash.
New target
Later, the protesters rushed to the houses of Transport Minister Pinipe Viswaroop and Mummudivaram MLA Ponnada Satish in Amalapuram and set fire to the houses.
Two houses belonging to Mr. Viswaroop and one house of Mr. Satish were set ablaze. On being alerted about the violence, Mr. Viswaroop and Mr. Satish reportedly managed to escape from their residences along with their family members and reach Rajamahendravaram.
In a press meet held in Vijayawada, Home Minister Taneti Vanita confirmed that at least 20 police personnel were injured in the clashes. The protesters also burnt a parked college bus, and a police vehicle near Clock Tower here. Some groups of protesters also set fire to two APSRTC buses.
Additional forces
The State government rushed additional forces to Amalapuram, the headquarters of the Konaseema district. Kakinada SP M. Raveendranath Babu said. “Eluru Range DIG Pala Raju has arrived at Amalapuram along with the additional police forces drawn from Kakinada district. The situation appears to be under control now,” he said.
Mr. Babu is also at the scene to assist the Konaseema police to prevent further protests and untoward incidents.
10 IPS officers sent
Director-General of Police (DGP) K.V. Rajendranath Reddy has said about 10 IPS officers, battalions and additional forces had been sent to Amalapuram to control the situation.
Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said that Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner, two DIGs, Superintendents of Police of Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Krishna, West Godavari districts, battalions and additional forces had been deputed to Amalapuram.
Section 144 was in force and the situation was under control, Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said. and appealed to the people not to believe in rumours and maintain restraint.
