Rajahmundry: Cops, youths exchange blows at beach

Rajahmundry: A group of eight youngsters was allegedly beaten by the police after they allegedly refused to pay heed to them and got into a quarrel at Perupalem beach of Mogaltur in West Godavari in the late hours on Sunday. According to police, nearly 40 persons including eight youngsters hailing from Gollagudem village of Ungutur mandal arrived to the Perupalem beach on Sunday afternoon to have fun. Allegedly under the influence of liquor, the eight tried to enter into the sea in prohibited area.

To ensure safety to the holiday makers, the police had barricaded the beach and were allowing tourists to enter the sea only in a safe zone under supervision of police and master swimmers. The youngsters started to go deep into the sea. The police constable on duty tried to prevent them. In doing so, the constable allegedly held a youngster by his collar and tried to pull him back to the shore.

Irked at it, the youngster hit the constable. As both began quarrelling, another police constable rushed there to rescue his colleague. In the melee, there were heated arguments and exchange of blows between the constables and the group of youngsters. A sub-inspector rushed to the scene but he was also allegedly beaten by one of the youngsters.

As the situation was going out of control, senior police officers along with constables rushed there and shifted the eight youngsters to the police out-post located on the beach and made them to sit there. Meanwhile, a large number of villagers in support of the youngsters arrived at the police out-post and started staging a protest, finding fault with the police for their alleged high-handedness. The locals demanded the release of the group, claiming that they would rope in senior police officers and politicians to come to their rescue. The youngsters also learnt to have made claims of their political and police links.