KARIMNAGAR/MAHABUBABAD: Petrol is coming in handy for farmers to scare revenue employees for resolution of land disputes. Close on the heels of a farmer murdering Abdullapurmet tahsildar Ch Vijaya Reddy by setting her on fire at her office near Hyderabad, one Kanakaiah threw petrol at the staff of the Chigurumamidi tahsildar’s office in Karimnagar district on Tuesday. Fortunately, no harm was done since he was immediately overpowered.
In another incident, a farmer and his family members tried to set themselves on fire by spraying petrol on themselves at the Danthalapalle tahsildar’s office in Mahabubabad district. The police present at the office swung into action and prevented them from setting themselves ablaze.
According to Chigurumamidi tahsildar Farooq, Kanakaiah visited his office as soon as it opened and told the staff he wanted to see the tahsildar regarding his land issue. However, he was not allowed as the officer was busy and he was asked to wait for a while.
“It seems Kanakaiah did not have petrol at first, but he went out and brought two litres of petrol in a bottle and threw the fuel on a senior assistant, village revenue officer, and village revenue assistant, who were in a room adjacent to my chamber. As he was about to ignite them, our staff realised what was going on and prevented him,” Farooq said. He added that Kanakaiah never met him or his senior assistant regarding his grievances.
The tahsildar, however, said the land parcel of 4 acres and 16 guntas in question was under a dispute as Kanakaiah and his brother were claiming ownership of it, which delayed the issuance of the passbook.
He said nothing untoward has happened, but the incident shook the staff. He asked for police protection in the wake of the incident.
Ryot tries to kill self over land record updation row
Karimnagar Revenue Divisional Officer Neerudi Ananda Kumar said that digitisation of nearly 80 per cent of land records has been completed. The remaining work was halted as there were civil disputes over land ownership. Memos will be issued to the farmers in this regard, he added.Meanwhile, the police have arrested the accused after registering a case under Section 307 of the IPC and Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
In Mahabubabad district, the farmer, I Shankar, and his family members tried to immolate themselves, sore over the MRO not updating his land records. The farmer was from Kummarikuntla in Danthalapalle mandal. According to sources, Shankar visited the tahsildar’s office several times but his land records were not updated.
He had been cultivating the eight-acre piece of land for many years, but the revenue officials failed to update the land under his name in the records, and instead, the details were used to update someone else’s land record. Shankar said he had filed a grievance petition at the district collector’s office during a Prajavani program, but to no avail. Left with no alternative, he and his family attempted suicide at the MRO’s office.
When contacted, Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) of Danthalapalle T Gowri Shankar said, “I have recently taken charge of the MRO office. After verifying the facts, it has been found that they already approached the court over the details of the land.”