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Two killed, four injured in group clash in Athani taluk

By Our Staff Correspondent

Belgaum Dec. 9. Two persons were killed and four others injured in a clash between two groups, one owing allegiance to the Congress and the other to the All-India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD), in Madbhavi of Athani taluk today.

The Deputy Commissioner, B.S. Palaksha, and the Superintendent of Police, Sunil Agarwal, have rushed to spot along with additional forces including two KSRP platoons. The situation is tense but under control. Some people have been arrested on the basis of complaints filed by the injured from both the groups.

The Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, Om Prakash, told The Hindu that today's incident was the result of a quarrel over preparing a new list for inclusion of some names in the voters' list of the gram panchayat. During the gram panchayat meeting on December 5, Vinayak Tukaram Bagadi and his supporters wanted the panchayat to prepare a new voters' list in order to include some whose names were not on the list. This was opposed by another group led by Mahadev Kore, who is a member of the Athani Taluk Panchayat and former Chairman of the PLD Bank. An argument was followed by a scuffle between the groups, Mr. Om Prakash said.

The Athani police registered two separate complaints and warned both the groups. Subsequently, the leaders of both the groups wanted to reach a compromise in the presence of the police. Thus, instead of going to the police station, the Athani police were requested to be present at the compromise meeting to be held in the village this morning.

But even before the Sub-Inspector of Athani Police Station reached the village, the groups attacked each other leading to the death of one person on the spot. Another person died at a hospital in Sangli in Maharashtra in the afternoon. Two persons from each side were injured and one of them was hospitalised in Sangli. There were stab injuries and injuries due to stone throwing on the bodies of the dead and the injured persons, Mr. Om Prakash said.

The dead have been identified as Balram Yeshwant Bagdi (35) and Sambhaji Laxman Bagdi (32). Both were said to be supporters of the AIPJD.

Separate cases have been registered against Mahadev Kore and Vinayak Tukaram Bagadi on the basis of complaints filed by the injured persons belonging to the rival groups, Mr. Om Prakash added.

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