Video clips of ugly fighting between two groups of villagers from Telangana's Khammam district went viral on social media. The clips showed a few villagers attacking policemen and forest officials as well as they tried to resolve the dispute between the fighting groups.
According to the police, as many as 21 villagers were detained after they clashed with police following a row between groups of two neighbouring villages in Sathupalli mandal of the district.
The police on Sunday said that a fight broke out between two groups of residents of Buggapadu and Chandrayapalem villages over a group's alleged encroachment of forest land.
The police and forest officials soon reached the spot and negotiated with the villagers, after which one group left. But the other allegedly attacked the police resulting in injuries to some personnel, a senior official said.
The official alleged that police personnel were pushed aside and some were allegedly hit with sticks by the villagers. Further investigation is also underway.
(With PTI inputs)
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