55 held for attack on government officials in Telangana

Hyderabad (The Uttam Hindu): Police in Telangana’s Vikarabad district on Tuesday arrested 55 people in connection with an attack on district officials during a public hearing for the proposed ‘Pharma Village’. Vikarabad District Collector Prateek Jain, Additional Collector G. Lingya Naik, and Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) Chairman Venkat Reddy were attacked by a mob in Lagacharla village of Dudyala mandal when they were trying to collect the opinion of farmers who are losing their villages in the proposed pharma cluster.

The incident in Kodangal constituency represented by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had created a furore. Police registered three cases in connection with Monday's incident and formed special teams to apprehend those involved. Meanwhile, police have suspended Internet services in Dudyala, Kodangal and Bomraspet mandals.

There was heavy deployment of police force in Lagacharla village. Police officials said that the attack was ‘pre-planned’. Those allegedly involved in the violence include B. Suresh Raj, a leader of the young wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Dudyala mandal. BRS’ Suresh Raj had reportedly approached the officials when they were conducting a public hearing near Dudyala mandal headquarters to visit Lagacharla and speak to farmers. When the officials reached the village, people raised slogans against the Chief Minister and started pelting stones on their cars.

KADA Chairman Venkat Reddy and Additional Collector Lingya Naik sustained injuries along with Vikarabad DSP Srinivas Reddy. Lingya Naik has been admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Multi Zone II) V. Satyanarayana has said that the attack on officials was pre-planned. He said Suresh Raj met the officers and claimed that the farmers would talk to them if they came two kms away from the tents. The police official said Suresh Raj had people ready to attack the officers who showed up.

Police believe 100-110 people participated in the attack. “We will take stringent action against those who indulged in the attack and those who instigated them,” he said. The IGP said since they knew farmers would not resort to such behaviour, they did not lathi charge them. Meanwhile, government employees in Vikarabad district were boycotting their duties on Tuesday to protest against the attack on the officials. In the rest of the state, the employees were wearing black badges.