YSRCP, TDP cadres clash in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh: The wife of a ruling YSR Congress Party MLA in Andhra Pradesh suffered a small cut on her forehead after a stone hit her vehicle during a skirmish between YSRCP and TDP cadres in Palnadu district, an official said on Wednesday.

Palnadu district superintendent of police Bindu Madhav Garikapati said supporters of both the parties got into a heated argument outside a specially-abled woman's house at Siriginipadu village in Veldurthy mandal, who availed home voting facility.

"The cadres of both parties went into the voter's house to seek support for their respective party and crossed paths, leading to an argument. Each party claimed that she was their supporter, which further deteriorated into a stone pelting attack on each other," Garikapati told PTI.

Meanwhile, Macherla YSRCP MLA P Ramakrishna Reddy's wife P Ramadevi was returning home from canvassing, and in the ensuing melee, a stone hit her vehicle, resulting in a small cut on her forehead and bleeding, the SP said.

This led to more cadres from the two parties gathering at the place. From a crowd of around 50 supporters on either side, it quickly swelled to 200 or so, he said.

Garikapati said the police had reached the spot within 10 minutes of the incident and brought the situation under control.

Police registered a case under IPC Sections 324, 147 and 148, and are in the process of arresting the people involved in the skirmish.

Palnadu police also seized a cache of country-made weapons in an abandoned house in Durgi mandal.

Garikapati said 17 country-made bombs, three sickles, three axes and six rods were recovered from the unsecured house which has been lying vacant for the past five years.

Police registered a case under the Arms Act and Explosives Act while a probe is underway to trace the people behind the weapons cache.

Simultaneous elections for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly constituencies in the state will be held on May 13 and the results will be declared on June 4.