Venkat Reddy urged the government to take Murthy’s murder seriously. He called for the arrest of all accused individuals within 24 hours. He also demanded the establishment of a fast-track court for an expedited trial.
Hyderabad: Roads and buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has demanded a probe by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) into the murder of social activist Nagavelli Rajalinga Murthy in Bhupalapalli on Wednesday. Murthy had filed a case against former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, and several government officials, holding them responsible for the collapse of the piers of the Medigadda barrage, a part of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS).
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, Venkat Reddy stated that the victim’s family had accused BRS former Bhupalapalli MLA Gandra Venkataramana Reddy of orchestrating the murder. He questioned, “One should seek legal recourse, but is murder the solution?”
Venkat Reddy stated that G. Chakradhar Goud, who is engaged in a legal battle against Chandrashekar Rao and Harish Rao in the phone-tapping case, would be provided protection. “Anyone who fears a threat to their life from KCR and his family members should approach the government for help,” he urged.
The minister alleged that Chandrashekar Rao and his family have plundered the state in the last ten years. "If someone exposes their corruption, will they be killed? Rajalinga Murthy fought against the corruption of BRS leaders in the Kaleshwaram project. We will meet Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and urge him to order a CID probe into his murder,” Venkat Reddy said.
He also referenced past political killings, citing the murder of advocate Vaman Rao and his wife, as well as the murder of an MPDO in Warangal, which Warangal former police commissioner A.V. Ranganath had attributed to BRS members. Additionally, Venkat Reddy mentioned an attack on a district collector in Kodangal by a rowdysheeter.
Venkat Reddy urged the government to take Murthy’s murder seriously. He called for the arrest of all accused individuals within 24 hours. He also demanded the establishment of a fast-track court for an expedited trial.
The minister strongly condemned what he described as a pattern of political violence under the previous BRS regime. “Will you kill those who stand against your looting of Telangana? The people will not tolerate this. Telangana has no place for political murders,” he declared. He also criticised KCR stating, “Has KCR stepped out of his farmhouse even once in the past 15 months? His only strategy is hiring contract killers.”
