Amaravati : Woman killed in stone pelting between two Dalit groups

Amaravati : In an unfortunate incident, a woman lost her life in the in a clash between two SC sections (Malas and Madigas) following a dispute over erecting an arch for newly laid cement road for SC colony groups in Velagapudi village of Amaravati capital region.

The trouble had been brewing between two groups for the past three days and they resorted to clashes on Saturday. However, the police controlled the agitating groups and restored normalcy in the village. On Sunday, they resorted to hurling stones at each other. A 55-year-old woman Mendum Mariamma, a farm worker was severely injured in the incident and died in the hospital.

The Mala Mahanadu leaders staged dharna at Velagapudi main road by placing the body of the woman. They staged a 'rasta roko' on Monday and raised slogans demanding action on Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh and MLA M Nagarjuna alleging that they were responsible for the incident.

On receiving information, Home Minister Mekatoti Sucharitha visited the village and enquired the kin of the deceased over the incident.

Speaking on the occasion, the Home Minister appealed to the people to maintain harmony in the village and assured to order an inquiry into the incident and act on those responsible. She said that action would be taken even on the erring police officials who failed to discharge their duties in preventing the incident.

Sucharitha said that a peace committee would be formed, and Section 144 would be imposed till restoration of normalcy in the village. She promised to extend ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and ready to take the family members to the Chief Minister. She promised to provide employment to one of the sons as per their educational qualifications. The deceased woman has three sons studying in Vijayawada.

Speaking to 'The Hans India', the second son M Seshu Babu, studying CA said that they were unaware of the dispute and reached the village after receiving information that their mother was critically injured in stone pelting and admitted in hospital. He said that their family was no way connected to the dispute and his mother got severely injured in the stone pelting on their house and died.

Meanwhile, traffic flow was obstructed for several hours on Velagapudi main road and commuters were inconvenienced.