HYDERABAD: In a shocking incident, a five-member family attempted suicide by consuming pesticide in Jadcherla of Mahbubnagar district, allegedly following attempts by a local leader of the ruling party to take over their family property. While two boys died at the hospital, three persons including the father are fighting
According to the police, Venkataiah of Gollapalli had purchased 400 square yards of land in the village 15 years back. Three months ago, Srinivasulu, the local sarpanch asked Venkataiah to vacate the land. He claimed that the land does not belong to Venkataiah and the authorities are planning to construction a community hall there.
Venkataiah reportedly produced all the documents pertaining to the ownership of the land before the sarpanch. But Srinivasulu asked Venkataiah to approach Irfan, who stays at Jadcherla, to ‘settle’ the issue.
Villagers said that Irfan is known to be a close associate of a senior TRS leader. For the past one-and-a-half months, Venkataiah had been pleading with Irfan for settlement by the latter refused to budge.
A few days ago, some people started construction activity on the disputed land and all efforts by Venkataiah to settle the issue failed. On Sunday, Venkataiah along with his four sons - Srisailam, Chandrasekhar, Mahesh and Kumar - came to Jadcherla to talk to Irfan. Nearly 10 family members also accompanied them. However, they did not get any concrete reply.
“With the construction activity going on and the hope of settlement diminishing, the family feared that they might lose their land and Venkataiah and his four sons consumed pesticide in front of Irfan’s house,” police said.
Irfan fled from the house while locals shifted the five members to Mahbubnagar government hospital where Srisailam and Mahesh succumbed.
Meanwhile, Mahbubnagar TRS in-charge Shiv Kumar said that Irfan is not a member of the TRS and the party has no role in the incident. Jadcherla police said they have registered a case.