PUDUCHERRY: Tension prevails in Yanam following clashes that broke out in a fishing village of Yanam between supporters of Congress and All India NR Congress on Saturday night resulting in serious injuries to nine persons from both the sides. This is a fall out of a social boycott sounded by the village heads supporting Congress MLA Malladi Krishna Rao.
The strong political under currents since Malladi Krishna Rao, the Congress MLA toyed with the idea of joining AINRC had led to the villagers sounding the social boycott of around 10 to 15 families supporting AINRC in the Kanakalpet fishing hamlet, that has some fifty families residing in the village .
Following the meeting Maladi Krishna Rao had at his residence eliciting the views with regard to his joining either BJP or AINRC by quitting Congress, not only were the supporters of AINRC alienated but even grocery shops were prevented from providing them with the items of their necessity. This led to AINRC sympathesiser filing a police complaint that the village elders have sounded a warning to all other families that if anyone spoke to the members of the alienated 10 to 15 families, he/she would be fined Rs 10,000, said Superintendent of Police, Yanam D Vamseedhar Reddy, according to the complaint given to police. Already there was enmity since these families supported AINRC in the previous assembly elections. The congress supporters who were a majority knowing about it, confronted them leading to clashes. The houses of each other were attacked with brickbats and stones leading to the injuries in which women and children suffered injuries. While most of the injuries were from those who supported AINRC, a 12 year girl belonging to a family of a Congress supporter suffered a fracture on her leg. All the injured have been admitted in government general hospital Yanam where they are receiving treatment.
Special pickets by IRBN have been posted to maintain law and order. The situation is under control, the inspector said and added that cases have been registered against 28 persons that included 16 anti Congress supporters and 12 anti AINRC supporters for their involvement in the rioting.