46 Detained for Violence Over Renaming AP's Konaseema District after Dr Ambedkar

The police had to lathicharge a group of people who were opposing the proposed renaming of the newly created Konaseema district to BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.

(Photo: The Quint)

A day after violence broke out in Amalapuram town in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh, 46 people have been detained by the Andhra Pradesh police for their alleged role in the vandalism that took place on Tuesday evening.

The police continue to check CCTV footage for more evidence against all those responsible for what transpired outside the Collectorate office in Amalapuram town.

A total of six cases have been registered under various relevant sections. Though curfew has not been imposed, police personnel have been deployed in large numbers and senior police officers from neighbouring districts have been brought in to ensure the situation is under control.

Speaking to TNM, Eluru Range DIG Pala Raju told TNM that people from various sub castes under the Kapu caste and other castes like Setti Balija, Nagavamsam etc gathered outside the collectorate after messages spread in social media about a protest against the new name of the district.

He said, “Members from various communities gathered together in protest. Six representatives from them went into the collector’s office to handover the representation and that is when stones were pelted by those in the crowd. The police tried to control the crowd and that is when the face-off began.”

Amalapuram is the headquarters of the newly carved out Konaseema district in Andhra Pradesh.

The protest that broke out on Tuesday in Amalapuram town was against the state government’s decision to rename the district by prefixing Dr BR Ambedkar to the already existing name – Konaseema district.

The decision to rename the district to Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema was announced by the government on 18 May.

Speaking about the present situation on the ground on Wednesday, DIG Pala Raju said, “The situation is under control and we have deployed police personnel in large numbers."

Checkpoints have been set up and several SPs from neighbouring districts have been brought in to assist the district police. We have not imposed a curfew and the internet has not been suspended.

We did not want the Intermediate examination underway to be affected because of the situation on ground. While we are allowing free movement of people we are ensuring the situation is under control.”

Around 20 police personnel were injured in the faceoff that took place on Tuesday evening. Out of the 20, four were hurt seriously while the others escaped with minor injuries. The angry mob also set on fire the houses of Andhra Pradesh minister P Viswarup and YSRCP MLA P Satish.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)