Telangana land acquisition protest: 55 people taken into custody for attacking officials in Vikarabad

Three officials--an Additional Collector, Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) chairman and a DSP rank police official-- were injured after some villagers in Lagacharla village of Dudyala mandal allegedly attacked them on Monday.

Hyderabad: A day after the attack on Vikarabad district collector Prateek Jain and other senior officials in Lagicherla village, the police detained at least 55 individuals and also shut down internet services.

The detention has led to tensions in Lagicherla and other surrounding villages as security forces have been deployed in large numbers.

The police suspect a conspiracy behind the incident and that an activist from a political party instigated, provoked the villagers to attack the collector.

BRS demanded that the police immediately release the arrested villagers. On Monday, farmers and residents from Lagicherla, which is part of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's home constituency, Kodangal, attacked the district collector and his team, causing damage to at least three government vehicles. They were protesting against the establishment of a private pharmaceutical company that would take over their lands.

Range IG V Satyanarayana said that the attack on the collector was premeditated and intentional. In a media conference held at the Vikarabad District SP's office on Tuesday, he said there was a severe attack on Vikarabad District Collector Prateek Jain, Additional Collector Linga Nayak, Kodangal Area Development Authority Special Officer Venkat Reddy, and a DSP in the village.

He explained that a person named Bhogamuni Suresh persuaded the Collector to accompany him to the farmers to discuss land acquisition, which subsequently led to a premeditated attack on the Collector and other officials. He also said that over 100 people were involved in this attack and that the police are investigating.

“We will not spare anyone involved and will take legal action against them. Some people intentionally attacked the collector while he was talking about land acquisition for Pharma City,” he added.

Additional Collector Linga Nayak needs to be shifted to Hyderabad for better treatment, while others have minor injuries. Kodangal Area Development Authority Special Officer Venkat Reddy sustained severe injuries.

Telangana government employees associations and unions had condemned the incident and demanded the state DGP take strict action against those who had attacked the collector.

Opposition BRS working president KT Rama Rao, alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, is seizing land for his son-in-law's pharmaceutical company. He expressed solidarity with the people of Kodangal, who, according to KTR, faced police action, including lathi charges, while protesting these acquisitions. KTR emphasized that it is unusual for a district collector to face public resistance to this extent in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and he demanded a government explanation.