VIZIANAGARAM: In a shocking incident, a private excavator operator used machinery to move two elderly people, including a woman, who staged a sit-in on a JCB bucket demanding compensation for land acquired for the Bhogapuram Airport.
The incident occurred in Baireddipalem village of Bhogapuram mandal when revenue officials attempted to proceed with approach road works for the airport. Though it happened on Friday evening, it came to light on Saturday after a video of the excavator operator moving the elderly protesters on the JCB bucket went viral on social media, exposing the high-handed behaviour of the operator in the presence of revenue and police personnel.
According to sources, at least 39 families from Baireddipalem village gave land for the airport approach road a few months ago. The government paid compensation to displaced families as per land acquisition norms. Of them, 15 families accepted the compensation, while the remaining refused it, demanding additional house sites. The revenue officials then sent the awards to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority (LARRA) and launched the road works. The displaced families were unable to receive the awards through LARRA due to the court’s summer vacation.
On Friday, the contract agency began approaching road works in the presence of revenue and police personnel. However, several displaced families blocked the work and staged a dharna. Among them, Baireddy Appalanarsayya and Thotammalu sat on the bucket of a JCB machine to stop the work. The excavator operator then used the machinery to move them aside.
The video later went viral on social media, prompting outrage among farmers over the treatment meted out to the protesters.
