YSRCP-TDP cadres clash ahead of Naidu roadshow

Punganur (Chittoor district): Chittoor district witnessed a war-like situation on Friday during TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s roadshow. As a sequel to the violent incidents, the ruling YSRCP has given a call for district bandh on Saturday. Despite all this, Naidu finally went to Puthalapadu and participated in the roadshow.

The seriousness of the clashes can be gauged as the Union Home Ministry has sent a letter to the DGP asking him to send a detailed report on the incidents and the kind of police protection it had provided to Naidu’s visits as well as the padayatra of TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh. It all began when YSRCP activists first staged a dharna wearing black shirts and sporting black badges and claiming that they will prevent Chandrababu Naidu to enter Punganur as he was responsible for blocking the works on irrigation projects there.

According to the police, they pacified the YSRCP activists and the dharna was called off before Naidu’s convoy reached Punganur bypass.

They also claimed that they had deployed over 450 police personnel. But as Naidu’s convoy reached the Punganur bypass, the YSRCP activists came face to face with the TDP cadre leading to a clash. At this point, Naidu told the party workers that he would cooperate if the other side behaved normally but if they come with sticks, TDP will retort. He called upon the cadres to chase away the YSRCP activists. The clash between the two sides that followed led to stone pelting resulting in injuries to party activists on both sides. Even some policemen suffered injuries.

The police had put up barricades preventing Naidu from entering Punganur. When a few TDP workers questioned the police about the barricades, arguments followed and the police resorted to lathi-charge. Enraged over the lathi-charge, some miscreants set two police vehicles on fire. The police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets.

Later, Naidu went directly towards Puthalapattu to participate in the roadshow without touching Punganur. Condemning the violent attacks of the ruling YSRCP on the TDP activists, Naidu charged Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy for inciting violence and local police for their inability to act. He even remarked that the police in the area should leave their uniform and act like YSRCP activists.

Peddireddy refuted Naidu’s allegations and said that it was he who provoked the TDP goons.