VIJAYAWADA: High tension prevailed in Gannavaram town on Monday evening as supporters of YSRC MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan vandalised the local TDP office, torched a car and damaged several other vehicles on the premises.
The ruling YSRC and Opposition TDP clashed after the party office was vandalised in protest against derogatory remarks of TDP leaders against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi.
Opposition TDP and ruling YSRC leaders had been trading charges at each other for the past three days. It all started with TDP official spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhiram reportedly making derogatory remarks against Jagan Mohan Reddy during a media conference two days back.
Vamsi allegedly responded in a similar language against TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh. Local TDP leader Bonthu Chinna condemned the remarks of Vamsi, following which, he received threatening calls. On Monday, TDP leaders reached Gannavaram police station at around 4 pm. They protested in front of the police station demanding Circle Inspector (CI) P Kanaka Rao to register a case against Vamsi for his threatening remarks against TDP official spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhiram.
On learning about the protest, scores of YSRC workers rushed to the police station, and indulged in a heated arguments, demanding the TDP cadres to leave the place. Workers from both parties allegedly pelted stones at each other.
Political blamegame ignites, police official injured in Gannavaram clashes
The CI who was grievously injured in the clash was rushed to a nearby government hospital. Following this, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Vijay Kumar rushed to the spot and deployed special forces to pacify the situation.
Meanwhile, another group, allegedly close to the aides of Vamsi, entered the TDP office and vandalised the property, damaged vehicles parked in the office and even set the car belonging to Bonthu Chinna on fire. With the news spreading fast, several TDP leaders reached Gannavaram and staged a ‘rasta roko’ on National Highway.
Gannavaram police took the former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and others under preventive custody and shifted them to Atkuru police station. Speaking to TNIE, Director General of Police KV Rajendranath Reddy said that the situation was brought under control and cases were registered against those who were involved in the attack on the police.
Responding to the attack on the TDP office, party supremo and leader of the opposition N Chandrababu Naidu demanded the Governor’s intervention into the atrocities. Strongly condemning the attack on the TDP office at Gannavaram by the YSRC ‘goons’ and setting the party vehicles afire, Naidu said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would certainly fall victim to his barbarous acts.
“What are the police officials doing, when the ruling YSRC leaders are indulging in such heinous acts?’’ he asked. Observing that there was no law and order in the State, Naidu wondered whether the police department was working at the behest of YSRC.
“Monday’s incidents are classic examples of the faction mindset of Jagan,” the TDP supremo maintained and demanded that the State Governor interfere in the incidents and initiate stringent action against the culprits.
Naidu wrote a letter to DGP demanding security for Donthu Chinna. Naidu also said that Pattabhiram was ‘kidnapped’ by men in police uniform and said that the safety of the leader was the responsibility of the government along with the police.
Vamsi said that Chandrababu was instigating his ‘pet dogs’ against him and finding fault with outsiders entering Gannavaram while creating law and order issues.