High tension prevailed as the lawyers from Seemandhra and Telangana regions clashed at the Andhra Pradesh High Court complex, on Friday.
Trouble broke out when the lawyers from Seemandhra allegedly formed a human chain protesting the Centre's decision to divide the state. On the same premises, Telangana lawyers staged a dharna as a counter agitation.
The two sides raised slogans and counter slogans, and ended up clashing with each other. Police had to intervene in order to bring the situation under control. Dozens of lawyers from both the regions were arrested, while 4 lawyers were injured.
While there have been several clashes between Seemandhra and Telangana employees at several government offices, this is the first time that lawyers from the two regions came to blows at the High Court.
The state Law Minister, E Pratap Reddy, termed the incidents at the High Court as unfortunate, and called for a dialogue between the seniors of the two regions to cool tempers.
Employees, lawyers and other people from Seemandhra residing in Hyderabad, are opposed to the bifurcation of the state. The incidents took place a day before the proposed "Save Andhra Pradesh" meeting of the Seemandhra employees in Hyderabad. (INN)