TIRUPATI: A farmer couple tried to commit suicide at the Tirupati Collectorate on Monday, alleging that a mandal revenue officer (MRO) from Chittumuru in Gudur of erstwhile Nellore district (now in Tirupati district) had taken Rs 1.50 crore bribe to issue a pattadar passbook for their agricultural land in Chillakur mandal.
As the MRO did not transfer the land to their name, the couple tried to end their life for the second time, demanding action against the government official. The couple has been identified as Arigala Nagarjuna and Arigala Bhavani, both in their 40’s. They are from Chillamuru village in Chittamuru mandal.
They consumed kerosene in front of Tirupati Collector K Venkataramana Reddy during the weekly Spandana grievance redressal programme held at the Collectorate. They were immediately shifted to a hospital in Tirupati, where their condition is said to be stable.
According to sources, the couple had allegedly paid `1.50 crore to the then Chittumuru mandal Tahsildar, S Chandrasekhar. He had worked as MRO from July 2016 to February 2019, and promised to upload details of government-assigned land belonging to the couple online.
In a video statement, Tirupati Collector K Venkataramana Reddy said, “The couple had earlier complained against the Tahsildar to Nellore collector, accusing him of taking `1.50 crore from them. Based on an enquiry report submitted to the State government, the tahsildar was placed under suspension, but he was reinstated after six months. He was assigned duty in Tirupati district after the reorganisation of districts.”
The government has constituted an enquiry commission to probe into manipulations of land record mutations done during Chadrasekhar’s tenure as tahsildar, he said.
While the MRO has dismissed the charges levelled against him, the couple were asked to lodge a complaint with the police as the charges were criminal in nature. However, the couple urged Tirupati collector to take departmental action against the official and found fault with the authorities for reinstating him.
Even as the collector assured them of action against the officer after receiving the enquiry report, the couple tried to commit suicide, demanding that the official be sacked from his position.