Telangana witnesses suicides allegedly abetted by TRS leaders

Instances of TRS leaders' alleged harassment abetting suicides in Telangana are causing trouble for the ruling party leadership.

Two such incidents took place last week in the state and the public as well as the Opposition parties are demanding that the K Chandrasekhar Rao government take severe action against the culprits.

A realtor Gangnam Santhosh (40) and his mother the Padma ended their lives in a hotel room in Kamareddy town on Saturday after posting a selfie video about the torment they faced from Ramayampet municipal chairman Palle Jithender Goud, agriculture market committee chairman Yadagiri Goud and five others including a police officer.

Goud and his men were accused of blocking his business transactions causing financial losses and constant mental agony.

After the outraged locals resorted to protests demanding justice, the Telangana police registered a case and booked Goud and his men. A DSP-level officer is given the investigation charge.

In Khammam, a young BJP activist Sai Ganesh consumed pesticide on Thursday after alleging police harassment with 16 cases “at the behest of state transport minister Puvvada Ajay.”

“Puvvada is committing many atrocities on people in Khammam, with the aid of police, etc power. Unable to bear his torture, I have attempted suicide. They also opened a rowdy sheet on me,” Ganesh told reporters from his hospital bed.

Ganesh, who is to get married in a few days, died on Saturday. While Congress has asked for the immediate removal of the minister, Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay has demanded that Puvvada should be charged with murder.

“Ganesh's only crime was questioning the TRS's goondaism. It is a shame that a case was not registered based on his dying statement,” Bandi said on Sunday, while accusing CM Rao of trying to shield the minister.

In another instance of torment by a TRS leader, in January, a family of four – Naga Ramakrishna (43), a local businessman, his wife, and two daughters – ended their lives in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district by setting themselves on fire.

Earlier, Ramakrishna posted a selfie video alleging that Vanam Raghavendra, a TRS leader and son of senior MLA Vanam Venkateshwara Rao, had abused him and asked him to bring his wife to him in Hyderabad in order to settle a dispute.

Facing public ire, the ruling party had then suspended Raghavendra from the party. He was later arrested by the police.

The opposition leaders are accusing the ruling party leaders of becoming grossly arrogant with power abuse and "killing people they should protect."

“We will not leave these TRS leaders who are threatening and forcing innocent people to kill themselves. If the present government does not act, we will definitely punish these offenders after coming to power,” Bandi said.

In another sensational case, in February 2021, a lawyer couple was hacked to death in broad daylight on a busy highway near Peddapalli town allegedly by a TRS leader.