Filing of nominations for MPTC and ZPTC elections in Andhra Pradesh began on a violent note on Wednesday with attacks on candidates and leaders of the opposition YSR Congress Party, including Former Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy.

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) blamed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its allies in the ruling coalition for the attacks.

The opposition party alleged that violence, attacks and intimidation continued across the state.

YSRCP candidates and leaders faced physical attacks, destruction of nomination papers, police restrictions and illegal arrests in several constituencies. TDP and coalition leaders obstructed opposition candidates from filing nominations, while police failed to prevent the violence, it alleged.

Elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) are scheduled to be held on November 3.

In Chittoor district, TDP cadres allegedly attacked former Deputy Chief Minister Narayana Swamy near the Zilla Parishad Chairman’s office when he arrived to facilitate the filing of a ZPTC nomination from Penumuru.

According to YSRCP, its leaders were injured in the attacks by TDP cadres in Chandragiri, Tirupati district.

Former MPTC member Madan Reddy and YSRCP supporters Ramu and Lokesh suffered serious head injuries and were shifted to a government hospital. The attacks took place in the presence of Pulivarthi Vineel, son of TDP MLA Pulivarthi Nani, according to YSRCP leaders. They also accused him of bringing outsiders from Tamil Nadu to create violence.

The opposition party alleged that police failed to prevent the attacks.

In Srikalahasti in Tirupati district, a two-wheeler belonging to a YSRCP supporter who arrived to participate in the nomination process was damaged and set on fire near the MPDO office. TDP leaders also allegedly threatened YSRCP candidates attempting to file nominations.

YSRCP alleged that Jana Sena MLA Arava Sridhar and Jana Sena leaders obstructed the filing of nominations in Railway Koduru in Tirupati district. The opposition party also alleged attack on its supporters.

Local YSRCP leaders confronted the police and demanded that all YSRCP candidates be allowed to file nominations.

Police placed former MLA Brahmanaidu under house arrest, preventing him from assisting YSRCP candidates during the nomination process in Narasaraopet in Palnadu district.

Police arrested YSRCP State Executive Council member and Macherla constituency observer Kommineni Venkateswarlu when he arrived to support candidates filing MPTC nominations in Piduguralla Mandal in Palnadu district.

TDP cadres allegedly attacked YSRCP candidates who arrived at the Mandal office to file MPTC nominations in Macherla in Palnadu district. The attackers forcibly snatched nomination papers from the candidates, obstructing the nomination process.

YSRCP said these incidents demonstrate the continuing obstruction faced by YSRCP candidates during the MPTC and ZPTC nomination process.

The opposition party demanded immediate protection for candidates, action against those responsible for violence and an end to police interference in the election process.

The Anti Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police’s Central District has busted an inter-state car theft racket operating between Delhi-NCR and Punjab, arresting two alleged auto-lifters and recovering five stolen vehicles, including four SUVs, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Shamsher, 33, and Rinku alias Rinky, 39, were arrested in Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, Punjab, on October 16. Police said the recovery has helped solve five motor vehicle theft cases registered at different police stations in Delhi.

The investigation began after a white Hyundai Creta was reported stolen from outside a house in Old Rajinder Nagar. e-FIR 025056/26 under Section 303(2) was registered at Rajinder Nagar police station on October 14, following which the AATS team was assigned to investigate the case and identify those involved.

During the investigation, police used manual intelligence and technical surveillance to uncover the alleged involvement of a Punjab-based inter-state racket. According to police, the accused targeted well-maintained vehicles in Delhi-NCR, stole them during night hours, affixed fake registration number plates, and transported them to Punjab for disposal.

Acting on specific information, the police team conducted a raid in Jandiala Guru on October 16 and arrested Shamsher. A stolen car linked to a theft case registered at Begampur police station in Rohini was recovered from his possession.

During interrogation, Shamsher allegedly disclosed the involvement of his associate, Rinku alias Rinky, who was subsequently arrested in Amritsar on the same day. Police then recovered the car in the Rajinder Nagar case.

The five recovered vehicles comprise four SUVs stolen from the jurisdictions of Rajinder Nagar, Begampur, Janakpuri and Netaji Subhash Place police stations, and one reported stolen in the Rajouri Garden area.

Police said the accused allegedly disposed of the stolen vehicles in Punjab through a local contact identified as Harpreet alias Honey, a resident of Amritsar. Efforts are underway to apprehend him and identify other members of the racket, officials said.

The operation was led by Inspector Sandeep Dabas, in-charge of AATS, Central District, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Padam Singh Rana. Further investigations are underway, the officials said.

A man identified as Shekhar Tirkey was killed and three others were injured in a knife attack following a dispute over a vegetable roll order at a fast-food stall in Adityapur, a suburb of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.

The incident took place around 1 a.m. on Tuesday at Khau Gali, located in front of the AIDA Gate.

Police have detained three youths, including the stall operator, in connection with the incident.

According to information, Shekhar Tirkey, a resident of Mango, had come to Adityapur to work on the lighting arrangements at the Shiv Mandir Durga Puja Committee’s pandal. At around 1 a.m. he went with his associate Golu to a fast-food stall near the AIDA Gate to eat a vegetable roll.

A heated argument broke out between Shekhar and the shopkeeper over the order. The dispute soon escalated, and the two sides began fighting. Shekhar and Golu then called other members of the Durga Puja committee to the spot.

After receiving the information, committee member Sunny arrived with his associates. The dispute allegedly escalated again, leading to a knife attack. Sunny, along with Sagar Jha and Arun Pandey, who had intervened to stop the fight, was also attacked with knives.

Shekhar Tirkey sustained serious injuries and later died. Sunny, Sagar Jha and Arun Pandey were also injured. All the injured were taken to Tata Main Hospital (TMH) for treatment.

On being informed of the incident, Seraikela Sub-Divisional Police Officer Abhinav Bhardwaj and Adityapur police station in-charge Anjani Kumar reached the spot with a police team.

After inspecting the scene, the police launched an investigation.

Three youths, including the stall operator, have been detained and are being questioned. SDPO Abhinav Bhardwaj said preliminary information suggested that the incident occurred during a minor dispute.

Further investigation is underway.

In a similar stabbing incident in Delhi, a man was allegedly stabbed to death by a group of assailants in southeast Kalindi Kunj area in a suspected revenge killing linked to a past rivalry in jail, police said. Three accused were arrested.

The deceased, Shahid Hussain, a resident of Abul Fazal Enclave-II in Shaheen Bagh, was taken to Apollo Hospital by Constable Avdesh of Kalindi Kunj police station. A medico-legal certificate issued at 5.32 p.m. by the hospital stated that Hussain had been brought dead.