Share over mushrooms leads to murder in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: A dispute over the sharing of naturally grown mushrooms has led to a political clash over two groups and later turned murder of a man at Kuntibhadra area under Kotturu Mandal in Srikakulam district on Tuesday night.

One person died, while four others suffered injuries in the group clash allegedly between the cadres of ruling YSR Congress Party and opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the incident.

The deceased is identified as Kamaka Jangam (55), who was an activist of the YSR Congress Party.

Sources said that the TDP activists attacked on Kamaka Jangam and Kamaka Himagari with a halberd during the group clash.

Severely injured, Jangam was admitted to a Government Hospital at Palakonda in the district, where he was being treated but later on passed away on Tuesday night.

The lighting in the area made mushrooms grow naturally in an open place in the village. K Yerrayya of TDP noticed the mushrooms and tried to take the mushrooms from the field.

However, Jangam of YSRCP entered into an argument with Yerrayya over the share of the mushrooms. He cited that the mushrooms are grown in their land.

The dispute later turned into a political clash in the village. Yerrayya with halberd attacked Jangam and Himagri. The YSRC activists also attacked the TDP activists with sticks.

A total of five persons suffered injuries in the clash, and all were admitted to the Palakonda Area Hospital. Jangam died in the incident, and the condition of the remaining, two TDP activists and two YSRC activists, is said to be out of danger.

Suspecting that the death of Jangam may lead to another big political clash in the village, the Srikakulam Police Chief RN Ammi Reddy deployed police personnel in the village and imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the village.

"We have registered a murder case under Section 302 of IPC against Yerrayya and an investigation is on to nab the accused. We are taking all the measures to prevent the possible clashes and unrest in the village," a police officer said.