Tahsildar burnt alive in office
Attacker sets lady official afire after heated argument with her
In a shocking incident in Hyderabad, a woman mandal revenue officer (MRO, or tahsildar) Ch. Vijaya Reddy, was burnt alive by a man at her office premises on Monday.
The accused and two others at the office, who tried to rescue her, also suffered burn injuries and are being treated at different hospitals in the city. The incident took place in broad daylight inside the MRO chamber, when other employees and members of the public were present to share their grievances.
The deceased, identified as Ch Vijaya Reddy, 37 , was working as the MRO of Abdullapurmet mandal in Ranga Reddy district.
The accused has been identified as Kura Suresh, a resident of Gowrelli village.
At around 1.30 pm, Ms Vijaya Reddy, who went to a court to attend proceedings of a case, reached her office. She spoke to a senior assistant before asking the attender to send the public inside her office, as Monday is observed as a ‘Grievance Day’.
Suresh, who was present at the office, went inside the MRO’s chamber and spoke to her for a while. When another citizen was entering the chamber, he noticed heated arguments and came out. Within no time, blazes were seen rising from inside the chamber and Suresh came out running. Ms Reddy also followed him. Chandraiah, the attender, and Gurunatham, her driver, who attempted to rescue her, also suffered burn injuries.
Ms Reddy, who was engulfed in flames, ran out of the office and fell before the main door. Other staff noticed and threw a blanket on her to douse off the blazes, but she had already died by then.
Mahesh, an eye-witness and an employee at the mandal revenue office, told media, “We did not know it was the MRO. When I was searching for her and screamed her name, Vijaya madam raised her hand to tell us that it was her. Then, she passed away.”
The accused, Suresh, who was walking on the road with at least 60 per cent burn injuries, was caught by the police, who were on their way to the crime scene.
Abdullapurmet police said that they received an alert through Dial 100 about the incident. When a patrolling team was rushing to the spot, they saw a severely injured Suresh and shifted him to a private hospital, and subsequently, to the Osmania General Hospital (OGH) for treatment.
The other injured persons, Chandraiah and Gurunatham, were shifted to the DRDO Apollo hospital for treatment.
The police cordoned off the office and the clues team collected evidence from the spot.
Vijaya Reddy, a teacher by profession, had joined as MRO in 2009, after clearing the state public services examination. She was initially posted in Sangareddy. Three years ago, she took charge as the first MRO of Abdullapurmet mandal.
Her husband, P Subhash Reddy, works as a botany lecturer at the Hayathnagar degree college. The family hails from Kalvapally village in Munugodu mandal of Nalgonda district. The couple was married about 13 years ago, with two children – daughter Sai Chaitanya, a student of Class V and son Bhuvan Sanket who is in Class 1. The family resides at LB Nagar.
Soon after the incident, the staff of Abdullapurmet mandal revenue office and other revenue employees and relatives rushed to the spot. They staged a protest demanding justice to the bereaved family. They even stopped the police from shifting the body for post-mortem examination.
However, the police pacified the agitators and shifted the body to OGH mortuary.
Mr Mahesh Bhagwat, police commissioner, Rachakonda, said, “The accused person, Suresh, is in a critical condition and is undergoing treatment at OGH. It seems Suresh had a land-related issue. We are trying to find out why he resorted to such a barbaric act.”
The commissioner said that the case will be tried in a fast-track court to ensure conviction to the accused by collecting all evidence.
Mr S. Devender, inspector, Abdullapurmet, said, “The incident occurred close to 2 pm. A team of doctors has performed post-mortem examinatin of the body of Vijaya Reddy. A land dispute could be the reason behind the murder, but we have to probe facts.”
He said that a case has been registered under Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder) and 307 (carrying out an act that could result in a person’s death) against Suresh. “Suresh also suffered critical burns and is undergoing treatment at OGH. We are trying to take his statement.”
Reacting to the attack on a public servant, Mr M. Mahendar Reddy, director-general of police, said, “We condemn the brutal murder of Vijaya Reddy, tahsildar of Abdullapurmet. Such a barbaric act is unacceptable in a civilised society. We shall bring the culprit to book and ensure that severest punishment is awarded at the earliest. Justice will be delivered to the victim and her family members.”
Mr Subhash Reddy, the victim’s husband, was inconsolable. Her mother reached the mortuary to collect the body along with other family members.
The body was shifted to her residence at LB Nagar. The final rites would be performed at Nagole.
Meanwhile, employees of the revenue department, staged protests in front of their respective offices in Ranga Reddy district.
Ministers Sabitha Indra Reddy and V. Srinivas Goud, former Congress MP V. Hanumantha Rao and several employees of the revenue department visited the OGH mortuary and expressed condolences to the shocked family members.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed regret over the murder of Vijaya Reddy and spoke to police officers. He ordered that proper legal action must be taken.