55 people taken into custody for attacking officials in Vikarabad district
Hyderabad: Vikarabad police on Tuesday detained 56 persons for attacking government officials including Vikarabad collector Prateek Jain and other officials at Lagcherla in Bomraspet mandal on Monday, after examining CCTV footage and collecting call records of the suspects. The arrested include those who plotted the attack and those who incited the crowd, sources said.
Police have identified one Suresh, a follower of BRS former Kodangal MLA Patnam Narender Reddy, as the prime suspect. Prior to the attack, Suresh had reportedly spoken to Narendra Reddy 42 times, police sources said, quoting from the call data. The former MLA then reportedly spoke six times with a senior BRS leader from his personal mobilephone.
“We have registered three FIRs with strong sections. Our special teams are going through the CCTV footage and IT teams are checking CDR records of the suspects to identify the main conspirator. Very soon will take action as per law,” said V. Satyanarayana, IG, Multi Zone-2.
Sources said Suresh faced many cases including one of rape, Narender Reddy had reportedly helped him in these.
On Tuesday, Narender Reddy said, “There were workers from all parties and farmers, not just BRS activists. There was no political angle, our party worker Suresh was there too. He has seven acres of land. When people from all parties were there, why is only the BRS being targeted.”
Apart from collector Jain, additional collector Lingiah, Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) chairman Venkat Reddy and other revenue officials came under attack.
Three officials, an additional collector, and a DSP rank police official were injured after some villagers on Monday pelted stones and attacked them during a public hearing that was proposed to be conducted by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).
They were reportedly protesting against the proposed acquisition of their land for a proposed pharma cluster in Vikarabad district. After the attack, special teams of the Vikarabad district police began a probe.
Sources said that a BRS youth wing leader had requested collector Jain to visit the village, where farmers later the mob pelted stones and assaulted the officials. IG Satyanarayana said extensive security arrangements had been made in the village to prevent further incidents.
