KCR’s Cong rival in Gajwel attempts self-immolation

Congress candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy, fighting TRS chief and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Gajwel, attempted self-immolation to avert a police search on his house at Kompally, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, late Monday night.

Reddy was later arrested for obstructing the police from discharging their duty. “No case has been filed so far,” a police official said after they found no incriminating evidence at his house.

The raid was after a TRS leader from Gajwel filed a compliant with the Election Commission that a huge amount of cash and liquor stashed in the Congress nominee's house was being distributed at Kompally. On the direction of the EC, Cyberabad police sent a team led by Balanagar Deputy Commissioner of Police Padmaja to search the premises.

However, Reddy’s family members resisted the entry of the police and called Reddy, who was on his way to Gajwel. When the police said they would have to break into the house, Reddy asked his followers to bring a bottle of petrol. Before he could douse himself with petrol to self-immolate in protest, the police stopped him. Hundreds of supporters of Reddy gathered there and shouted slogans against the TRS government and the chief minister.

The police later took Reddy into custody. After an hour long search, the police left saying they found no money or valuables in the house.

KCR accused

Demanding action against the police for the raid, Telangana Congress chief Capt Uttam Kumar Reddy accused KCR of driving the Congress candidate to attempt suicide.

At a press conference, nominee Reddy dared the EC and the police to search the farm house of KCR. “There is specific information that large scale money distribution is going on at the farm house of KCR at Erravelli near Gajwel. Do you have the guts to conduct searches on his farm house?” he asked.