Mancherial: Women protest police lathi-charge during Bathukamma immersion

Women staged protests in Mancherial’s Thallapet village after alleging police lathi-charged Bathukamma festivalgoers. The protesters demanded action against the Luxettipet Inspector, while rival Congress factions traded accusations following a clash reportedly triggered by crackers thrown during celebrations late Sunday night.

Mancherial: Women staged a sit-in on a road demanding action against police for resorting to lathi-charge during immersion of Bathukamma idols at Thallapet village in Dandepalli mandal late on Sunday night.

Women from the village blocked traffic on Luxettipet-Jannaram road at 1 am. They alleged that Luxettipet Inspector man-handled them while they were celebrating the Bathukamma festival. They wanted suspension of the inspector for his beating the women by proving into the incident.

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Meanwhile, Manthena Jaganmohan Rao, a Congress leader alleged that police indiscrimanetely lathi-charged against a tribal woman. He accused the police of becoming puppets of local MLA Kokkirala Premsagar Rao. He termed the police officials as agents of Premsagar Rao.

He also demanded action against the police for lathi-charging against Thallapet vice- Sarpanch Rajender. He declared that they would launch a protest if action was not initiated against responsible police officials. He advised the police to alter their stance.

Earlier in the midnight, Akula Durga Prasad, a supporterof Premsagar Rao, allegedly threw crackers at women, followers of Jaganmohan Rao when they were celebrating the festival. The two groups clashed with each other over the issue, resulting in a mild tension for a while. Police lathi-charged to disperse the warring groups. The inspector reportedly beat the women and supporters of Jaganmohan Rao.

On Monday, security was stepped with deploying additional police force to prevent untoward incidents at the village boiled by the conflict of the Congress factions.