A day after Vikarabad district officials were attacked, the police took 57 people into custody on Tuesday (November 12, 2024).
| Photo Credit: Screengrab of video posted on X handle @BRSHarish
A total of 57 individuals, including Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party workers and farmers involved in the attack on Vikarabad district officials in Lagacharla village of Dudyala mandal, were taken into custody by the Vikarabad police on Tuesday (November 12, 2024). Access to Internet has been shutdown in the area till the situation is totally under control, informed a police official.
“We will verify the role of each of these individuals through photographic evidence. Action will be taken against those who were involved in the attack; they will be remanded to judicial custody today,” said Vikarabad SP K. Narayana Reddy.
Efforts are still underway to nab others involved in the attack, the official said.
The row
On Monday (November 11, 2024), an agitated crowd of about 150-200 individuals confronted the district officials during a public hearing for a proposed pharma plant in Vikarabad.
Vikarabad district collector Prateek Jain, additional collector G. Lingya Naik and Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) chairman Venkat Reddy were present at the meeting with farmers – who will be losing their lands as per the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) plan.
After being approached by BRS youth wing leaders of Dudyala mandal Bogamoni Suresh Raj, the officials reached the spot, two kilometres away from their tent, where they were faced by a mob who claimed that they were not ready to give up their land and attacked the officers.
The police had booked three cases and formed four special teams to probe into the matter. During this attack, KADA chairman Venkat Reddy and additional collector Lingya Naik sustained injuries along with Vikarabad DSP Srinivas Reddy.
BRS condemns
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao condemned the arrests and demanded their immediate release. Mr KTR in a post on “X” (formerly Twitter) said the arrests will not stop the farmers’ struggle and they cannot be silenced by police threats.
Mr. Harish Rao posted that deploying 300 police`men to arrest farmers was not acceptable as they were worried about protecting their livelihood.
Published – November 12, 2024 02:11 pm IST
