Clash breaks out in Warangal, several hurt, 1 critical

Warangal: Tension prevailed after several people were grievously injured, and one of them was rushed to the MGM Hospital in a clash between people, who set up huts/tents in the government land at the disputed Jakkaloddi and 'locals' on Thursday night. It is reported that four autorickshaws, and three bikes were also damaged in the clash.

A fruit vendor identified as Ramesh, who sustained head injury in the attack, is undergoing treatment at the MGM Hospital, said CPI (M) district secretary Ch Rangaiah.

CH Rangaiah alleged that the Mamnoor police had encouraged some local rowdies to attack the poor who had been staying in the huts or tents since May 8.

"Nearly 7,000 poor people along with their children have been staying there by setting up the huts/tents in about 45 acres of the land demanding the government to allot them the house plots as they are landless poor.

However, the politicians who encroached upon these lands had influenced the police to see that these poor would vacate the land as settling down would pose threat to them in many ways," Rangaiah alleged.

"The police were present there in plain clothes when the attack took place at the Jakkaloddi. Even Mamnoor Inspector Banoth Ramesh was patrolling on the main road. It is a planned attack by the police," he alleged.

However, Mamnoor ACP A Naresh Kumar maintained that there was no role of the police in the attack. "It was a fight between the local people and followers or the activists of the CPI (M) who are coming there from at least 10 mandals in erstwhile Warangal district," he said.

The ACP also made it clear that they would ensure eviction of those who occupied the government land. He said that the CPI (M) party leaders were levelling false allegations against the police. He also said that they had already booked at least five cases in connection with the illegal occupation of the government land at Jakkaloddi.