Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Friday, November 15, claimed that the Telangana government is implicating innocent people in the Vikarabad violence and blaming the BRS.
KTR also alleged that Telangana chief minister A Revath Reddy’s brother, Thirupati Reddy, is terrorising farmers in Lagcherla to acquire lands belonging to farmers and tribals forcibly for the proposed private Pharma City.
The former Telangana minister alleged that there is a nexus between Thirupati Reddy and the Telangana police, due to which innocent people are being implicated in the Vikarabad violence case wherein district collector Prateek Jain was attacked.
Speaking outside Sangareddy prison after meeting 16 arrested villagers, KTR said that the arrests were politically motivated to silence dissent. “Innocent people are being arrested simply for supporting the BRS. The police, in collusion with Reddy and local Congress leaders, are threatening villagers and their families with violence if they speak against them,” he said.
He also pointed to specific cases, including gram panchayat secretary Raghavendra Yadav, and another ITI student, disregarding their absence during the alleged attack. “Raghavendra was arrested at midnight despite not being present during the alleged attack. He was conducting a caste census in another village and returned home only in the evening. Similarly, the ITI student was visiting his family and arrived after the incident, yet he was arrested,” KTR explained.
The Sircilla MLA further said private individuals, inebriated and abusive, accompanied the police personnel during the midnight raids on Monday. “These raids were nothing short of a terror campaign. Innocent villagers were assaulted and humiliated,” he charged. He accused Congress leaders, including Dudyal mandal president Sekhar’s supporters, of orchestrating the unrest.
“Even Congress leaders are losing their lands. Though around 70 people including Congress leaders were detained, only BRS supporters were officially arrested. Most of Congress activists were allowed to walk free,” he said.
The BRS working president condemned the government’s attempt to acquire land worth Rs 60-70 lakh per acre for a fraction of its value, against the farmers’ wishes and portraying the protests as a BRS conspiracy.
KTR pledged full legal support to the arrested villagers. “We will provide all legal assistance and continue to stand by the people of Lagcherla, Nyalkal, and other affected villages. Their fight is our fight,” he asserted. He vowed to escalate the issue and ensure justice for the victims.
Vikarabad violence
On November 12, 16 farmers were detained for their alleged involvement in an attack on Vikarabad District Collector Prateek Jain and other officials during a public hearing regarding a proposed pharmaceutical unit in Lagcherla village.
However, Collector Prateek Jain has firmly denied the allegations of an attack by the protesting villagers.
He visited Kondagal, where he engaged in discussions with the protesting farmers who expressed concerns about the Pharma City project. “Some mischief-makers conspired and created trouble. I was not attacked or manhandled,” Jain stated to reporters.
A gram sabha meeting in Lagcherla village, Dudyala mandal, regarding land acquisition for Pharma City in Telangana erupted in violence when villagers attacked officials.
District collector Prateek Jain, additional collector Lingyanayak, and sub-collector Umashankar Prasad escaped, but special officer Venkat Reddy suffered serious injuries. Deputy superintendent of police Srinivas was also attacked while trying to protect Reddy. Following the unrest, 55 individuals were detained, and internet services were suspended in Vikarabad district.
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