The death of a farmer in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district has sparked a political row after opposition parties claimed that the farmer was beaten to death by the police for refusing to give up his land for Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s security arrangments.
This incident happened on Monday, February 18, when the Chief Minister was visiting the Kondaveedu Fort for an event celebrating the state’s heritage. The deceased farmer has been identified as Pitla Koteshwara Rao, a native of Putlakota village in Yadlapadu mandal.
Tortured by police
The family of Koteshwara alias Kotiah, alleged that the police tortured him after he refused to felling of papaya crop in his two-acre land for the construction of a temporary helipad for the Chief Minister’s arrival, reported Mumbai Mirror.
The incident came to light after YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy, who is also the opposition leader in the assembly, blamed Chandrababu for the death of the farmer. He took to Twitter to attack the CM. Blaming Chandrababu Naidu for the death he said “He was beaten up and he was alive and left to die in the field. His crop plantation was cleared off. When will this cruelty end?”
కొండవీడులో ఒక బీసీ(ముత్రాసి) రైతు, కోటయ్య గారిని మీరే చంపేశారు ముఖ్యమంత్రి గారూ @ncbn. కొట్టి కొనఊపిరితో వున్న రైతును అమానుషంగా అక్కడే వదిలేశారు. మీ హెలికాప్టర్ దిగటానికి ఆయన బొప్పాయి పొలాన్ని నాశనం చేశారు. మానవత్వం చూపాల్సిన సందర్భాల్లో ఈ రాక్షసత్వం ఏమిటి చంద్రబాబు గారూ?
— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) February 19, 2019
Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan demanded an independent probe into the incident.
CM condoles death
CM N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences for the death of the farmer and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. His son hit out at Jagmohan Reddy and accused him of wrongfully politicising the sad death of the farmer.
The Telegu Desam Party, however, maintained their stand over the death. They maintained that he committed suicide due to personal problems. The Guntur district police also reiterated the same.
District superintendent of police Rajasekhara Babu said that Kotiah’s land was used as a temporary police control room. He further said that Kotiah consumed poison four hours before the arrival of the Chief Minister. He said that his consent was taken before his land was used and his crops were only damaged when they tried to carry the lifeless body to the hospital.
He further refused that excess force was used. Speaking to The News Minute, Narasaraopeta DSP Ramavarma said that the specific allegations against police are false. “A high level investigation is taking place. There will be due action once the investigation concludes,” he said.
The family have registered a case of wrongful death and investigations are underway.
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