Tension at Neerdmet police station as BJP, TRS skirmish from I-Day celebrations continues

Hyderabad: A major brawl that broke out between the BJP and TRS party workers minutes before the National Flag was hoisted on Independence Day in Malkajgiri extended to Monday. The party workers hurled fists, stones, and sticks at each other in front of the Neredmet police station leading to tension. A massive police bandobust from the Rachakonda Commissionerate has been deployed in the area.

A viral video recorded on Monday showed both parties coming to blows on the road leading to a massive traffic jam. Parked cars in the area also took hit from the sticks and stones. Moula Ali corporator Sunita Ramu's vehicle was damaged.

The first fight broke out at Vinayak Nagar falling under Malkajgiri division of Greater Hyderabad. Old political rivalry between the two parties is said to be the reason. Malkajgiri BJP corporator had alleged that TRS MLA Mynampally Hanumanth Rao's men had attacked him with a broken beer bottle. The ward member sustained a minor injury on the leg which led to the BJP party workers staging a protest in Malkajgiri limits on Independence Day.

The brawl led to a war of words between Mynampally Hanumanth Rao and BJP Telangana State president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay. Both called each other names like 'land grabbers', 'useless fellow' and addressed each other in foul language.

Bandi Sanjay called Mynampally a 'gunda' and warned him of exposing his illegal dealings after he visited corporator V. Sravan at the hospital. "He rode my coattails to enter the BJP," said the president. Further, Mynampally accused him and the party of land grabbing. "You are a womaniser and I will expose you in Karimnagar," Mynampally said.

An eye-witness and a resident of Malkajgiri under the condition of anonymity said, "The rivalry dates back to the last Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. The current BJP Malkajgiri corporator V. Sravan won against MLA Mynampally's close aide N. Jagadish Goud. Since then, there has been tension between the BJP and TRS cadre in Malkajgiri ward. Secondly, BJP corporator V. Sravan questioned MLA Mynampally's claims that Rs 700 crore worth of development has taken place in Malkajgiri after he was elected as MLA. This further increased the tension."

The source further added, "On Independence Day, both parties stopped each other from hoisting the flag which led to the attack. During the fight, the corporator sustained injuries in his leg and he alleged that Mynampally's men cut him using a broken beer glass. Later, the police took into custody few protestors on preventive measures."

The BJP workers called for a bandh in Malkajgiri on Monday and a few commercial establishments remained closed as a mark of support. Some of them were also victims of the fight between the parties. The saffron party workers also staged a dharna in front of Mynampally's residence.