Violence and arrests mark Kadapa local body election nomination day

Minor violence and clashes broke out across the Kadapa district on Thursday during the filing of nominations for ZPTC elections, leading to vehicle damage, police action, and preventive detentions.

Violence

In Nandalur mandal within the Rajampeta constituency, a car and two motorcycles suffered damage, while another car was set on fire. TDP official spokesperson Koduru Balasubramanyam fired five rounds into the air after his group clashed with a rival faction led by local leader Vijaya Sagar. Both factions fought over filing nominations for the TDP. Police rushed to the site and used a lathi charge to scatter the crowds.

Detentions

Police took several YSRCP leaders into custody as a preventive measure at the Kadapa party office and moved them to Pulivendula. The detained leaders include Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, former Deputy Chief Minister S.B. Amzath Basha, district party president P. Ravindranath Reddy, and former Mayor Paka Suresh. Mr. Avinash Reddy called the arrest an example of police high-handedness and accused the force of serving the ruling party. Meanwhile, Pulivendula TDP in-charge B.Tech Ravi and Jammalamadugu MLA C. Adinarayana Reddy held a press conference at the Kadapa Press Club to blame Mr. Avinash Reddy for the district-wide violence.

Context

Local body elections in various states often see fierce competition among political parties and local factions over candidate nominations. Police forces routinely step in with preventive detentions and crowd control measures to maintain law and order when tensions spill over into public clashes.