VIJAYAWADA: In perhaps the first-of-its-kind car rage incident in Andhra Pradesh in recent years, two groups of youths, led by two childhood friends, had a violent confrontation with their cars on a road in Vijayawada, creating panic among residents and motorists on Thursday night.According to the Patamata police, Lingamaneni Rohit (19) and Bolla Om (21), who led the fight over a woman, are suspected to have been under the influence of ganja at the time of the incident. The two are not only childhood friends but also distant relatives, and are pursuing BBA at a private university in Vijayawada. Rohit and Om’s parents are said to be in the real estate business.The dispute reportedly broke out over a young woman from Hyderabad, whom both had known for some time. Patamata police inspector Pawan Kumar said the quarrel started after Om allegedly made negative remarks about Rohit to the woman. Things escalated when the woman conveyed those comments to Rohit, leading to disagreements between the two over the past few days, police said.Rohit and Om initially challenged each other through WhatsApp messages on Thursday, and agreed to meet at Hi-Tension (HT) line road at night. There, an argument reportedly escalated into a confrontation. “In a fit of rage, Rohit and Om rammed their cars, both Thar, leading to one of Rohit’s car tyres getting punctured. He abandoned his vehicle and fled. After he left, Om, along with his friends, took out hockey sticks and iron rods, and smashed Rohit’s car window panes,” the inspector said.Inspector Pawan Kumar added that on being alerted by locals, police teams rushed to the spot and took Om into custody. Rohit has also been taken into custody with a further probe underway.Preliminary investigation revealed that two were under the influence of ganja during the altercation. Police conducted drug detection tests on them, with Om testing positive in the initial screening and Rohit testing negative. However, officials said further tests will be conducted for confirmation. Additionally, police have reportedly seized a steroid injection and an e-cigarette from Rohith’s car.The incident has once again sent shockwaves among residents, as the city has been largely free of gang wars post the Patamata gang war of May 2020.
