Communal Tension Grips V. Kota
Tirupati: What began as a trivial incident in a cricket field on Monday evening plunged the town of V. Kota into a state of communal unrest, prompting authorities to impose Sections 144 and 30 of the Police Act. The unrest began when a cricket ball accidentally hit a passing woman. Her husband's inquiry about the incident was met with aggression from a group of youths from a different community who were playing cricket. The group reportedly attacked the couple, and the situation rapidly escalated as the youths allegedly targeted the woman's house, inciting chaos and violence.
Following a police complaint by the injured woman, tensions further flared up when women from the youths' families allegedly threatened the victim's family with dire consequences. Both factions gathered at the police station, but the conflict spilled onto the streets when one group attacked the other during a sit-in protest near the Ambedkar Circle. Despite police intervention, clashes persisted throughout the night.
Eyewitnesses report that dozens of individuals, armed with knives and sticks, rampaged through the town, resulting in numerous injuries. Among the casualties was Ramachandra Rao, the former BJP district president and deputy superintendent of police D. Prabhakar, who attempted to mediate. The DSP suffered head injuries from stone pelting and required hospitalization. The violence continued into the night, with miscreants targeting properties of individuals. In response to the crisis, collector Sumit Kumar and superintendent of police Manikantha Chandolu arrived in V. Kota late Monday night. They imposed Sections 144 and 30 of the Police Act, prohibiting gatherings of more than four people and banning all rallies and demonstrations. "We urge people to maintain peace and avoid congregating in large groups. Strict action will be taken against those violating these orders or engaging in violence," stated the collector.
The district administration has established a peace committee with members from both communities to facilitate dialogue and restore harmony. SP Chandolu assured that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible for the violence and warned against attempts to incite religiously motivated unrest.
On Tuesday, Palamaner MLA Amarnath Reddy visited the affected areas and met with injured families. He submitted a memorandum to the collector and SP, urging swift legal action against the culprits. "V. Kota has always been an example of communal harmony. It's deeply unfortunate to see this outbreak of violence in a town where people have lived together like brothers for years," MLA Reddy stated. He assured efforts to secure compensation for those who suffered losses during the violence.