Tension grips Kadapa as clashes erupt over a contentious naming dispute, leading to prohibitory orders and heightened security measures to maintain communal harmony.
Prohibitory orders were clamped here following an agitation and stone pelting at Almas Pet junction over naming of a centre, police said on Sunday.
According to police, members of a community wanted the junction to be named after ruler of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, Tipu Sultan, while another section demanded that it be named after Lord Hanuman, triggering unrest in the area.
"Tension prevailed near Almas Pet junction following clashes over junction renaming issue, following which Section 144 was imposed and security was intensified to prevent any disturbance to law and order," a police official told PTI.
On Saturday, stone pelting and protests broke out between two groups, which were dispersed by police using mild force and other measures.
The dispute had surfaced intermittently over the past 12 years.
Several people allegedly involved in the violence have been identified and they are likely to be arrested soon, said the official.
Kadapa District Collector Sridhar Cherukuri and Superintendent of Police (SP) Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath, in a joint press conference on Saturday, termed the clashes "unfortunate" and said anti-social and malicious elements allegedly attempted to disturb communal harmony in the town.
They also warned against the circulation of false information on social media, saying false propaganda was creating fear among people.
Officials said the district police machinery responded swiftly after the clashes erupted and took strong security measures in the area.
Meanwhile, police have registered cases under relevant sections of law in connection with the clashes.
Officials said that steps are being taken to foster unity among people and maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the district.
They further said the district administration was taking all necessary measures to safeguard public harmony and prevent recurrence of such incidents in the district.