A police picket set up at Uradallapalem village in West Godavari district on Friday following a clash between Chiranjeevi fans and Dalit youths on Thursday night | Express
ELURU : Prohibitory orders were imposed in Uradallapalem village in Attili mandal on Friday evening after 13 persons were injured in clashes and rioting between Chiranjeevi fans and Dalit youth on Thursday night. Out of the 13 injured, seven were Chiranjeevi fans and six Dalit youths. The injured were admitted to Tanuku government hospital. The police announced on public address system that if any villagers ventured out of their houses, they would be arrested immediately.
According to information, the clashes were the result of use of Roads and Buildings site. According to eyewitnesses and police, Chiranjeevi fans constructed a park on the R&B site on the road margin in Uradallapalem village one and half decades ago. As there was no maintenance, bushes and thorns had grown in the park. The fans decided to clear the bushes and make the park functional and cleaned up the park two months ago. The park is situated adjacent to the SC Colony.
The SC Colony youth asked Chiranjeevi fans to give them half of the site to conduct their activities. The fans agreed to give one quarter of the site and the remaining to be kept for the park. As the Dalit youth did not agree on this, both had heated arguments a week ago. The verbal attacks continued for quite sometime. Having learnt about the row, Tanuku MLA Arimilli Radhakrishna called both the groups and asked them not to disturb the peace in the village and settle the issue amicably. After that, there was no clash between the groups.
However, on Thursday night, Bhavani devotees started Bhajan programme and arranged Nippula Gundam (Fire furnace) at Saibaba temple in the village. The devotees visiting the event parked their vehicles in the park. The Dalit youths, objected to this and said that they were conducting a programme of BR Ambedkar, whose flexi they had put up.
Chiranjeevi fans intervened and questioned why the Dalit youths had erected a flexi of Ambedkar, when there is a statue close to the park. This led to heated arguments between both the groups and rioting followed.
Learning about the incident, Attili police led by Chintalapudi CI Ch Rambabu reached the spot. After hectic efforts by the police, the situation was brought under control and both parties filed cases against each other.
