By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad : Clashes between the groups of two different communities continued for the second day today in Vijaywada city of coastal Andhra region as tension simmered over the elopement of a girl of one community with the boy of another community.
The trouble started last night in Wynchpeta area of old city in Vijaywada when a boy of one community made a provocative remark to the boy of another community over the incident of elopement.
With the groups of people from both the sides coming out on the streets, situation took an ugly turn. Police commissioner K V Rajendranath Reddy said that the rival groups indulged in stone pelting and attacked each with sharp edged weapons. At least five people including two inspectors of police were injured last night. Another person was attacked with a knife.
In the stone pelting which resumed on Wednesday, another police sub inspector was injured. Cars, auto rickshaws and two wheelers and shops were also damaged in the violence.
The police commissioner said that 30 year old Malla Rajesh alias Nalla, an auto rickshaw driver had eloped with Shabana Begum of the same area. Tension started rising after the two returned home claiming they had married at a temple in Mangalagiri.
Though situation was brought under control after the commissioner talked to leaders of both the communities last night, trouble broke out again on Wednesday after noon. Prohibitory orders were imposed in the area and additional police was deployed to maintain peace, the commissioner said.
The girl’s family alleged that Shabana had not gone with the boy voluntarily but she was misled and abducted by the boy. They alleged that even police failed to take action when they went to lodge a complaint.