KAMAREDDY: Violence broke out in Somarpet village of Yellareddy mandal in Kamareddy district after a tractor rammed into the house of a defeated sarpanch candidate, leaving six people seriously injured.
Two of the injured are in critical condition.
Clash follows sarpanch election outcome
According to locals, Bharat Rashtra Samithi-backed candidate Bittla Balaraju lost the sarpanch election in the second phase. On Monday, villagers had gathered at his house to console him over the defeat.
While they were seated in front of the house, Kurma Chiranjeevi, brother of Congress-backed winning candidate Kurma Papaiah, allegedly drove a tractor at high speed towards the gathering and crashed into the compound wall.
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Women, child among injured
Two women - Gandi Bharathi and Bandameedi Balamani - were trapped under the tractor's rear tyres. Others injured were Sharada, Sattavva, Padma and Adhvit, 5. Bharathi and Balamani were shifted to Hyderabad due to their critical condition, while the remaining injured were admitted to a private hospital in Yellareddy.
Papaiah said the tractor lost control while heading for agricultural work and the incident was accidental. However, supporters of Balaraju alleged the attack was deliberate, claiming they had been threatened with consequences after the elections.
Protest blocks highway
Following the incident, former Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA Jajula Surender and party workers staged a sit-in protest on the Yellareddy-Nizamsagar road. Deputy Superintendent of Police Srinivasa Rao and Circle Inspector Raja Reddy reached the spot and assured justice, following which the protest was called off.
Police said a case was registered based on Balaraju's complaint. Yellareddy MLA Madan Mohan Rao later released a video stating that those responsible would be punished as per law.