Several injured as TDP, YSRCP cadres clash during Naidu’s visit to Kuppam

Trouble over erecting banners during Naidu’s road show

Tension prevailed at Kollupalle village of Ramakuppam mandal of Kuppam Assembly Constituency on Wednesday following a reported clash between the YSR Congress Party and Telugu Desam Party workers. Several activists from both sides and a couple of police personnel on duty were injured.

According to information, after entering Shantipuram mandal from Karnataka by road, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu was proceeding to Ramakuppam mandal headquarters to launch the “Badude Badudu” programme. A few hours before Mr. Naidu’s arrival in the constituency, some YSRCP activists reportedly erected banners and flexies of their party along the route of Mr. Naidu. Irked at this act of the ruling party cadres, the TDP workers allegedly removed the publicity material at Kollupalle village, while Naidu’s convoy was passing through.

This reportedly led to a clash between the two groups, followed by jostling and pelting of stones. Two sub-inspectors of Kuppam Rural and Palamaner circle were among the injured. A TDP worker injured in the clash was rushed to the area hospital. The police said that due to the downpour in the area, it was not immediately known who had initiated the trouble. The CCTV footage would be verified and based on which cases would be booked, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Y. Rishant Reddy and Deputy SP (Law and Order) N. Sudhakar Reddy rushed from Chittoor to Ramakuppam to monitor the situation.

Mr. Sudhakar Reddy said that according to preliminary information, the TDP workers had objected to the YSRCP banners along Mr. Naidu’s route in Ramakuppam mandal. “This led to trouble when both the groups clashed with each other. At present, the situation is under control, and normalcy is restored,” he said. Additional police forces from Chittoor and Palamaner were despatched to the sensitive areas in the Kuppam Assembly Constituency.

Meanwhile, senior TDP leaders in Kuppam alleged that the trouble at Kollupalle village was jointly “stage-managed” by the ruling party cadres with the support of the police with a pre-planned strategy to book criminal cases against the Opposition party cadres.