Amalapuram back to normal after arson over renaming of Konaseema dist: AP police

The move to rename the newly-formed Konaseema district triggered arson in Amalapuram on Tuesday evening with the protestors opposed to the name change setting the houses of Minister P Viswarupu and a ruling YSR Congress MLA P Satish on fire.

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh):Normalcy was restored on Wednesday in Amalapuram town of Andhra Pradesh after witnessing widespread arson in protest against the move to rename the new Konaseema district after BR Ambedkar. “We have registered seven cases and taken over 40 miscreants into custody. We have deployed a force of over 2,000 personnel under the supervision of two Additional Directors General of Police. The situation remains normal in the district now,” informed Director General of Police KV Rajendranath Reddy.

He further said that the police are currently investigating what exactly triggered the violence on Tuesday. “We are analysing the CCTV footage and other evidence. We will bring the guilty to book,” the DGP added. The move to rename the newly-formed district triggered arson in Amalapuram on Tuesday evening, with the protesters opposed to the name change setting the houses of Minister P Viswarupu and a ruling YSR Congress MLA P Satish on fire. Some buses were also set ablaze in the town while over 20 police personnel, including senior officers, were injured in stone-pelting by the mob.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr P C were clamped in the town to quell the mobs and restore order. Today, protesters tried to stage dharnas in Amalapuram, Ravulapalem, Ambajipeta, Kandriga and other places, but the police foiled their attempt. On Wednesday evening, some protesters pelted stones at East Godavari district SP Aishwarya Rastogi's car at Ravulapalem ring road in the district. Since the police were immediately alerted after the incident, the protesters fled the place. Meanwhile, the Konaseema Sadhana Samithi on Wednesday called for 'Chalo Ravulapalem'. Police were on high alert in the wake of the incident, while 46 have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.