Incidents of violence mar local body polls in AP

Hyderabad, June 28 (UNI) Violent incidents marred polling for the first phase of elections to local bodies today.

In Prakasham district, police said security forces at polling booths opened one round of fire at Potavaram village in PC Pally mandal, when rival Congress and TDP groups clashed. Likewise, police opened three rounds of fire at Madanuru village in Kottapatnam mandal and two rounds at Akividu village when Congress and opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists clashed, according to official sources.

In Kadapa district, police said the gunmen of Ramesh Reddy, a contestant for a Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) in Muddunur mandal, opened fire in the air when TDP activists allegedly attacked Congress functionaries at a booth in Uppanur village.

However, no one was injured in the incident.

In another incident in the same district, police opened fire in the air near the polling booth of Vaddirala village of Mylavaram mandal when party activists clashed. Police opened two rounds of fire in the air to disperse the mob.

In a clash between TDP and Congress, two persons were injured near Valvali village of Rajupalem mandal when polling was going on.

The two groups hurled country bombs on each other at a polling booth in Muddanur. In Dasaripalle village of Pillimarri mandal in the same district, stone pelting was indulged in.

Elsewhere, in Adilabad district, Saidapur Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) TDP candidate of Bela Mandal in Adilabad, Shyam Rao was attacked by Congress activist this morning.

Shyam Rao was a sitting MPTC member of Saidapur. Last time he was an independent candidate, while this time, the TDP gave him a ticket.

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