Brutal murder of Telangana tahsildar keeps his staff clear of infamous land row

According to sources, shaken by the ghastly incident, revenue officials of Rangareddy district - from clerks to the collector - are determined not to entertain more pleas regrading the disputed land.
A file photo shows a candlelight procession by Revenue employees in Nizamabad, mourning the death of Abdhullapurmet Tahsildar Vijaya Reddy
A file photo shows a candlelight procession by Revenue employees in Nizamabad, mourning the death of Abdhullapurmet Tahsildar Vijaya Reddy

HYDERABAD:  The brutal murder of tahsildar Vijaya Reddy has left revenue officials in Abdullapurmet jittery, so much so that they are reluctant to address/resolve the land dispute — pertaining to over 130 acres of land at Gowrelli village in Rangareddy district — which led to her immolation in November. 

Uncertain and frightened about the fate might befall them if they take up the case once again, the revenue officials at Abdullapurmet have decided to advise the litigants in the land dispute case to approach the court, instead of dealing with it on their own. Under normal circumstances, revenue officials can settle cases of land dispute. 

According to sources, shaken by the ghastly incident, revenue officials of Rangareddy district - from clerks to the collector - are determined not to entertain more pleas regrading the disputed land. "We will direct the applicants to settle the matter in court," said a highly placed Rangareddy district officer.

K Suresh, one amongst the applicants seeking pattadar passbook claiming ownership of the 130 acres of disputed land, threw petrol over Vijaya Reddy and set her ablaze in November this year. This incident sent revenue department officials across the State into a tizzy. 

The disputed 130 acres of agricultural land under survey number 96 and 97 in Gowrelli village is under occupation of as many as 41 families. Around 400 acres of land in Gowrelli village is under the name of one Raja Ananda Rao. Of this, 130 acres, as per tenancy agreement, is under the name of Habibulla in the revenue records. K Suresh and members of around 40 other families had requested the murdered tahsildar Vijaya Reddy to resolve the deadlock. 

The governance at the Abdullapurmet revenue mandal was stalled after the ghastly incident. This has resulted in piling up of pending applications. The tahsildar office began functioning again after a new tahsildar K Venkat Reddy took charge in the last week of November.

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