Childhood Friends Turn Rivals, Ram SUVs on Vijayawada Road
The incident caused panic among passersby and motorists, many of whom fled the area fearing for their safety
VIJAYAWADA: A dispute involving a young woman allegedly led to a dramatic late-night clash between two childhood friends on the busy High Tension Road in Guru Nanak Colony, Vijayawada, triggering panic among motorists and local residents.
According to Patamata police, Lingamaneni Rohit of Tadigadapa and Bolla Om of Bharathi Nagar had been close friends since childhood. However, differences reportedly emerged between them in recent months over a woman, leading to repeated arguments and confrontations over the phone.
The rivalry allegedly took a violent turn late on Thursday night when the duo arrived at Guru Nanak Colony in separate SUVs and deliberately rammed their vehicles into each other at high speed. Police said the SUVs collided repeatedly and dragged along the road for nearly 100 metres, severely damaging both vehicles and creating chaos on the busy stretch.
The incident caused panic among passersby and motorists, many of whom fled the area fearing for their safety. Eyewitnesses said the scene resembled a dramatic sequence from a faction-based action film.
Police said the violence escalated further after the collision, with Om and his associates allegedly stepping out of their vehicle armed with iron rods and sticks before smashing the windows of Rohit’s SUV. Sources said the woman at the centre of the dispute was travelling in one of the vehicles.
Patamata police rushed to the spot after receiving information from local residents. Rohit reportedly fled after abandoning his vehicle, while Om was taken into custody. Police said no casualties were reported in the incident.
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
