Punganur violence: Chittoor district bandh by YSR Congress peaceful, Minister Peddireddy meets injured policemen

CHITTOOR: The district-wide bandh called by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders condemning the violence that erupted in Punganur on Friday during TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s visit went peaceful in Kuppam on Saturday.

All markets, banks, cinema theaters, schools, colleges and offices remained closed. The APSRTC had also stopped its services on all routes, including to places like Tirupati and Chittoor. All the buses were confined to the depots after the YSRCP activists tried to prevent them from entering on roads. People were facing a tough time commuting to other parts due to lack of transportation facilities. YSRCP activists burnt the effigy of Chandrababu Naidu and also took out a bike rally in Chittoor as a mark of their protest condemning the violence in Punganur.

YSRCP cadres from rural parts of the district reached Chittoor district, YSRCP incharge and MLC Bharath’s residence in Kuppam and extended their solidarity to the district wide bandh call. Bharath said that the bandh called by the YSRCP was peaceful in the district. “It is very unfortunate that police personnel who are on bandobast duties sustained injuries from the TDP activists during Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Punganur on Friday. The opposition leader who is not in a position to step on the roads without NSG commandos provoked his partymen to attack the police, which is highly deplorable,” Bharath said.

The MLC demanded Chandrababu Naidu tender an open apology to the police personnel who sustained injuries in the violence that erupted in Punganur. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Energy, Environment and Forests Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy visited Chittoor Government Hospital and enquired about the health condition of the police personnel who were injured in the violence that erupted in Punganur. Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy alleged that the TDP leaders had intentionally changed the route map given by the police to them and entered into the town to create violence in Punganur.

Taking a dig at the opposition leader, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that Chandrababu Naidu had deliberately provoked his party cadres against police, fearing his defeat in Kuppam in the coming elections. He alleged that several TDP party activists took out a rally with weapons and shotguns. “The State Government has taken the violence erupted in Punganur on a serious note under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu. Action will be initiated on those responsible for the attacks on police,” the minister said. Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy also said that better treatment would be given to the police personnel who sustained injuries in the violence.

Chittoor MLA A Srinivasulu, Puthalapattu MLA MS Babu, Collector Shan Mohan, SP Rishanth Reddy were also accompanied by the minister during his visit.