Telangana: Lambadas, Adivasis fight pitched battles, two tribals killed

ADILABAD: At least two tribals were allegedly killed and 12 others including 7 police personnel were injured in violent clashes that erupted between Lambadas and Adivasis in the agency areas of Adilabad district on Friday.The police imposed Section 144 in the entire district to contain violence in the tribal region. The agitating mob also torched a wine shop, petrol pump and ransacked a private hospital. A large number of vehicles especially two wheelers were torched and damaged by the violent crowd.

The police had to fire five rounds of bullets into the air and tear gas shells to disburse the crowd. The mob damaged properties worth lakhs of rupees.The deceased were identified as Hassan Farooq and Jithender Rathod. Circle inspector D Bhumiah, sub inspectors L Raju, GPulliah and four constables were injured. Another four STs were seriously injured. All the injured were being  treated at RIMS Government Hospital at Adilabad district headquarters.

However, the police claimed that the two persons were not killed in the violence but in an accident. People of both the groups were seen wielding sticks and attacking each other.  The incident took place following some miscreants garlanding the statue of Kumrambheem with footwear in Beethalguda on Friday. 

The situation went out of control after people belonging to Lambadas and other Adivasi communities clashed with each other during a rally in Utnoor mandal against the insult  to the Adivasi leader.  The situation further intensified after some miscreants removed tribal flag in Utnoor. This further instigated the violence. Police had to rush additional forces to bring situation under control. 

It all happened when people belonging to Adivasi communities after performing milk abhisekham to the statue of Kumarambheem and took out a rally. As the rally was passing through Hasnapur,  Lambadas objected to it. Furious over this, Adivasis tried to attack them. In a few minutes the entire areas turned  into a battlefield with both the groups hurling stones at each other.

A large number of people were injured in the clashes but there was no loss of life. The police had to open fire in the air and fire tear gas shells to disburse the violent crowd. Following the violence, DGP M Mahendar Reddy sent two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and three IG rank officials to the spot on Friday night to control the situation.