ANANTAPUR: The third phase of gram panchayat elections in the district on Sunday turned violent claiming two lives and injuring several others. The polling percentage was put at 83.57. Stone pelting between the supporters of Congress and TDP at Devunuppalapadu in Pedda Pappur mandal resulted in injuries to 10 persons from both sides. Of them, Rambhupal Reddy (30), Bhaskar Reddy and Manohar Reddy of the TDP and Madhav Reddy of Congress were injured seriously. They were first rushed to the Government Hospital at Tadipatri. Rambhupal Reddy was referred to General Hospital at Kurnool, where he was learnt to have succumbed to his injuries. The police registered a case against B. Nallapa Reddy and 14 others of the Congress.

Accidental death

In another incident, a Congress supporter of Raketla village B. Yerriswamy (20) was run over by an APSRTC bus, which was carrying polling personnel and material. In Kuchivaripalli of Yallanur mandal, people reportedly boycotted the polling fearing feuds after the election, as two brothers were contesting for the sarpanch post from J.C. Diwakar Reddy and K. Suryapratap Reddy groups. Polling was boycotted in Govindampalli of Bukkaraya Samudram mandal due to confusion over election symbols of two contestants.

The two candidates had mistook each other's election symbol and canvassed with the rivals' symbols. They found the mistake when they received model ballot papers on Saturday.

In other poll-related incidents, one person was injured in a clash between two Congress groups at Pedda Mallepalli and between Congress and TDP groups in Narasapuram, both in Yellanur mandal. Group clashes were also reported from Shaikpalli in Pedda Pappur mandal and Upparapalli in Anantapur rural mandal.

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