TRS leaders harassing, misusing power: Cong.

Bhatti, Komatireddy allege that law and order paralysed in TS

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy demanded the immediate arrest of Vanama Raghavendra Rao, son of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, for abetting a family to suicide. He also asked Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar to immediately suspend Kothagudem MLA from the TRS.

Revanth Reddy, who is in quarantine at his residence in Jubilee Hills after he was tested Covid positive, issued a video statement on Thursday expressing anger and disappointment over lack of action against the TRS MLA’s son. He said a businessman, Naga Ramakrishna, died by suicide along with his wife and twin daughters, in Paloncha town in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on January 2.

Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the law and order situation was paralysed in the state. People in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district were living in grip of fear due to Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA Vanama Venkateshwar Rao family’s harassment, he alleged. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bhatti demanded the arrest of MLA’s son Vanama Raghava for abetting the suicide of a family.

Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy demanded that Vanama Raghavendra, son of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA Vanama Venkateshwar Rao be arrested immediately. He said Raghavendra was accused in the suicide of four members of a family in Kothagudem district. He should be made accused number one in the abetting of suicide case, he said.

Speaking to reporters here at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, Venkat Reddy questioned why the police delayed arresting the accused in a sensational case. Director General of Police Mahender Reddy was known as an efficient officer, but why did the police not initiate action against the accused, he asked.

However, the police were forced to register an FIR against TRS MLA’s son after they found a suicide note left behind by the victim. He said even after three days, the police were yet to arrest Raghavendra Rao and others who drove an entire family to suicide, he said.

The TPCC chief pointed out that a selfie-video surfaced on social media in which the victim, Ramakrishna, made shocking accusations against TRS MLA and his son. In the video, Ramakrishna alleged that Raghavendra Rao asked him to bring his wife to Hyderabad to settle a financial dispute. Felt humiliated, he resorted to the extreme step of suicide along with wife and twin daughters.

Revanth Reddy said Ramakrishna’s video clearly exposed how the ruling TRS leaders were misusing power and harassing common people to the extent that they were preferring death over mental torture and humiliation. “Suicides by Ramakrishna and his family show that the common people are feeling helpless under the TRS regime with some of them going to the extent of taking their own lives to protect their dignity and honour. Such things cannot be tolerated anymore,” he said.

He asked whether Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was aware of this incident. “If not, then what has his intelligence wing been doing for the last three days? The Chief Minister did not even condemn the incident or gave oral assurance of taking action in this issue. TRS working president and minister K. T Rama Rao, who is hyperactive on social media, is still silent on the issue.

The TPCC chief said the Congress would launch massive protests if the government failed to arrest Raghavendra Rao within 24 hours.