Andhra Police Allegedly Beat Farmer To Death For Refusing To Give Land For Chandrababu Naidus Event

Andhra Police Allegedly Beat Farmer To Death For Refusing To Give Land For Chandrababu Naidu's Event

  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo

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?”



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.


Also Read: Potato Farmer Earns Rs 490 For 19 Tonnes Of Potato, Sends Money To PM

Contributors Suggest Correction
Editor : Poorbita Bagchi

Must Reads