GUNTUR : The death of a tribal woman in Macherla took a political turn, as the Opposition TDP and JSP accused local YSRC leaders for allegedly killing the woman.
According to the police, Banawat Samini Bhai (45), a native of Mallavaram village in Macherla, was reportedly hit by a tractor carrying a water tank and was killed on March 1. The woman reportedly went to fetch water from the tank when the tractor driver, Manikanta Naik, refused to permit her to use the facility purportedly arranged by YSRC leader. This led to an argument between them and the accused allegedly ran his tractor on the woman and killed her. Upon receiving a complaint, the police filed a case against Manikanta and launched an investigation.
Dismissing the allegations that the driver purposely killed the woman, the police officials informed that the accused was not an expert driver and the incident seems to have happened by accident.
However, local TDP and JSP activists staged protests against YSRC and demanded the police to take stern action against the accused. JSP Chief Pawan Kalyan and TDP State president Kinjarapu Atchannaidu alleged that local MLA Pinneli Ramakrishna Reddy is encouraging such atrocities against SC, ST, and BCs. Describing the incident as a testament to the barbaric rule in the State, Pawan Kalyan said, “It is very unfortunate that AP is in a situation where people have to undergo political scrutiny to get drinking water.” The only thing left is to issue a GO stating that only YSRC leaders and workers are allowed to drink water, he opined.