Tension prevailed during former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Chittoor district on Wednesday, as a large number of YSRCP cadres gathered to welcome him, allegedly in violation of restrictions imposed by police.
Police had to resort to a lathi-charge to control a stampede-like situation, and in the melee, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Vijayananda Reddy was injured after falling from the convoy.
Some women participants in the rally also fell on the ground. At one point, Jagan Mohan Reddy got down from his vehicle to question the police action.
The YSRCP chief arrived by helicopter from Bengaluru to visit Bangarupalem to meet mango farmers and hear their grievances.
Though police had permitted only 30 people to receive Jagan at the helipad near Aragonda flyover, hundreds of people gathered there, leading to commotion.
The police had also not permitted a rally or a roadshow, but in a huge show of strength, a large number of vehicles joined Jagan's convoy from the helipad to the market yard.
Police had given permission for only 500 people to accompany Jagan during his visit to the market yard. However, in violation of the order, a large number of YSRCP cadres barged into the market yard, triggering chaos.
YSRCP condemned the police action during Jagan's visit. Former minister Ambati Rambabu said the police's behaviour was worse than the British rule.
He alleged that police had imposed restrictions at every step and issued notices to thousands of party cadres, resorted to their arrests and house arrests.
Rambabu condemned Chittoor Superintendent of Police V.N. Manikanth Chandolu "for acting as a puppet under Minister Nara Lokesh's influence, undermining the integrity of IPS officers".
"YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is a leader born from the people, for the people, and no lathis or illegal cases can stop the public's support for him," another YSRCP leader Sudhakar Babu said.
They alleged that the state government failed to address the problems of farmers. They said crops over 2.5 lakh acres were damaged in Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's home district, Chittoor.
Mango farmers in Chittoor are forced to discard their produce on roads due to the absence of fair prices, they said.
