‘Let’s start war at 3.10’ Police say Konaseema violence pre-planned

Amalapuram, May 29: The police informed that the Amalapuram violence was pre-planned and WhatsApp messages have provoked violence. They further informed that messages like ‘start war at exactly 3.10’. ‘police are taking lunch, this is the right time to enter Amalapuram town’ etc. These messages were posted in several WhatsApp groups on May 24.
 
Police arrested another 25 persons in this regard. Section 144 was extended for another five days and Police Act 30 was extended for another one month.
 
Among the 25 persons held on Saturday, 18 belong to YSRCP and two each from TDP and Jana Sena. 
 
Police search is continuing to identify people, who resorted to violence and to take them into custody. 
 
Internet services haven’t restored. District Collector Himanshu Shukla said that help centres are being set up for Polycet candidates.
 
Eluru range DIG Palaraju told the media that they are identifying the culprits based on several facts. Information was passed on through 30 Whatsapp groups, which clearly instructed when and where to reach. He said that police are trying to track even deleted messages also and the properties of the arrested will be confiscated.