KHAMMAM: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader Tammineni Krishnaiah, who was slain on Monday, became a target after he joined the TRS and broke the stranglehold the CPM had on Teladurpalli village in Khammam Rural mandal.
The CPM has a vice-like grip on the village. Attempts by any other party to make inroads into the bastion did not succeed. About 20 years ago, a CPM leader Y Venkaiah switched over to the Telugu Desam Party and tried to assert himself but he was murdered. CPM State secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram hails from this village. During village-level elections, CPM candidates used to be elected unanimously as no one had the gumption to contest against them.
Krishnaiah also met with the same fate as he joined the TRS and had been very active in helping the party make gains in the village. After he joined the TRS, several CPM activists followed him into his new
party. The village which was once full of CPM activists had turned pink and the TRS activists began arresting any attempt of the remaining CPM leaders to revive the Marxist party which became an eyesore for them.
About three years ago, slain TRS leader Krishnaiah joined the TRS in the presence of former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao. Since then Krishnaiah has been very active, attending to the needs of the people in the village and going out of the way to help the poor whenever they find themselves in a tight spot.
TDP condemns Krishnaiah’s killing
Krishnaiah made his wife Mangatayi contest the MPTC elections and ensured her victory with a majority of 650 votes. Later, and three others contested as TRS candidates for the posts of directors of Andhra Bank Karshaka Seva Sahakara Sangham and won three seats. Krishnaiah defeated Tammineni Koteswara Rao.
Koteswara Rao is now A1 in the murder of Krishnaiah. Krishnaiah’s close associate K Nageswara Rao said Krishnaiah had roads laid and ensured allotment of double-bedroom houses to beneficiaries after joining the TRS. He also strove for village development besides rendering service to the poor and farmers in the village. The TDP condemned the killing and party district president K Venkateswarlu said murder politics had no place in a democracy. He demanded stringent action against the accused.
Police register cases against 8 persons
The Khammam Rural police have registered a case of murder against eight persons, including Tammineni Koteswara Rao, brother of CPM Telangana State secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram, for the killing of TRS leader Krishnaiah of Teldarupalli.
The police registered a case under Sections 148, 341, 120B, 302 read with Sec 149 of IPC, on a complaint lodged by Tammineni Naveen, Krishnaiah’s son. The police have listed Tammineni Koteswara Rao as A-1, Shaik Ramzan A2, Jakkampudi Krishna A3, Gajji Krishna Swamy A 4, Nukala Lingaiah A 5, Banda Nageswara Rao A6, Bodapatla Srinu A7 and Yellapalli Nagaiah A 8.
“We have formed four police teams to apprehend the culprits,” Police Commissioner Vishnu S Warrior said. He camped at Teldarupalli till the cremation of the body of Krishnaiah. He said no one would be spared in this case even as the locals and family members Krishnaiah alleged police failure in preventing the murder. They alleged that they told the Rural Inspector of Police several times that there was a threat to Krishnaiah’s life, but he did not take it seriously.
Though the police denied arresting the accused, sources in the department said that they were in the police custody and interrogation was going on. Meanwhile, Krishnaiah was cremated in his agricultural land as thousands of people and relatives turned up to bid farewell to him. Krishnaiah’s son Naveen performed the last rites as per Hindu tradition.