VIZIANAGARAM: The police opened 15 rounds of fire and lobbed teargas shells on Saturday on an irate mob of nearly 2,000 farmers displaced by the Thotapalli barrage project, which was at the centre of a controversy over allegations of irregularities in the tenders.

The firing climaxed a pitched battle for over 30 minutes between supporters of the displaced persons and the police at Mettupaka junction, 2 km away from the project site. T. Venkataramana, a resident of Gopalapuram, suffered a bullet injury in the firing.

Some 20 persons, including the Parvathipuram Sub-Divisional Police Officer, K.V. Chandra Rao, and seven constables suffered head injuries in the stone-throwing. A retired school teacher, N. Govindapatrudu, who was passing by, was one among the injured persons. A large mob, including women, had gathered under the banner of Thotapalli displaced persons association near the Mettupaka junction at 11 a.m. Led by the CPI (M) MLA from Naguru, Kolaka Lakshamana Murty, the agitators decided to proceed towards the project to paralyse the spillway work that was re-launched recently.

Rasta roko by ryots

Sensing trouble, the district administration clamped Sec. 144. When the police stopped the agitating farmers, they organised a rasta-roko. The Joint Collector, K. Siddhardha Goutham, held discussions with the CPI-M leaders. He assured them of a rehabilitation package. But, the leaders continued the blockade.

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