Police personnel guarding the Almaspet circle in Kadapa in the early hours of Sunday, after clashes between two groups on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tension erupted in parts of Kadapa city on Saturday (May 9, 2026) and spilled over to Sunday (May 10, 2026), when two groups clashed over the naming of a traffic island in the city after a figure of their choice.
A section had been demanding the naming of the Almaspet circle after Tipu Sultan, the Mysore ruler who died in a battle against the British. Another group wanted it named Hanuman Circle, taking exception to what it called undue credit being given to a “tyrannical ruler”.
The issue flared up after some social media posts pitted one community against the other.
A large posse of police personnel anticipating trouble had to resort to lathi-charge to control the situation when the two groups gathered in numbers at Almaspet and pelted stones at each other.
ప్రజల భద్రత,శాంతి భద్రతల పరిరక్షణే లక్ష్యంగా రాళ్ల వర్షం కురుస్తున్నా,రక్త గాయాలవుతున్నా సంయమనం పాటించిన కడప పోలీసులు
సామరస్యంగా సమస్య పరిష్కరించేందుకు శాయశక్తులా కృషి చేసిన పోలీస్ శాఖ
ఒక సి.ఐ, ఒక ఎస్.ఐ , 10 మంది పోలీస్ సిబ్బందికి రక్త గాయాలు#kadapapolice@APPOLICE100#dial112pic.twitter.com/PI4nJMvXfD
— Kadapa Police (@Kadapa_Police) May 9, 2026
On Sunday, the police took some youths into preventive custody to defuse the tension.
Superintendent of Police Nachiket Vishwanath Shelke said some youths had been taken into preventive custody after being identified as troublemakers. No arrests have been made.
Mr. Nachiket and District Collector Sridhar Cherukuri held talks with a peace committee formed of representatives from both groups, and called for restraint.
శాంతి భద్రతలకు ఎలాంటి విఘాతం కలగకుండా రక్షణా చర్యలు చేపడుతున్నాం!
అల్లర్లకు కారణమైన భాద్యులపై కఠిన చర్యలు తీసుకుంటాం
మీడియాతో మాట్లాడిన జిల్లా కలెక్టర్ డా. శ్రీధర్ చెరుకూరి, జిల్లా ఎస్పీ షెల్కే విశ్వనాథ్#kadapasp#kadapapolice#KadapaCollector#APPolice#LawAndOrderIssuepic.twitter.com/MwmQnRyQ2a
— Kadapa Police (@Kadapa_Police) May 9, 2026
Former MLA and YSRCP Kadapa constituency in-charge Amzath Basha appealed to the police to release the youths who had been taken into custody, and to take action only against those involved in any antisocial activity.
BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav appealed to the State government to bring the situation under control, and asked the police not to allow any escalation of tension. He also took exception to the alleged high-handed behaviour of a police constable against a BJP worker, who, he said, was manhandled for no known reason.
కడప నగరం ఎప్పటి నుంచో మతసామరస్యానికి, సోదరభావానికి ప్రతీకగా నిలుస్తోందని, అలాంటి ప్రాంతంలో విద్వేషాలకు, అల్లర్లకు తావిచ్చే దుష్టశక్తులను ఏమాత్రం ఉపేక్షించబోమని జిల్లా కలెక్టర్ డా. శ్రీధర్ చెరుకూరి గారు స్పష్టం చేశారు.
కడప నగరంలోని అల్మాస్పేట సర్కిల్ వద్ద చోటుచేసుకున్న ఘటనల… pic.twitter.com/CTFcrtokdW
— District Collector, YSR Kadapa District (@CollectorKadapa) May 9, 2026
TDP MLA and Government Whip R. Madhavi Reddy called on both communities to observe restraint, and noted that communal harmony had been the norm in Kadapa for generations. She urged them not to fall prey to “the evil designs of the antisocial elements who are out to disturb peace and development of Kadapa”.
Published – May 10, 2026 02:05 pm IST
