Day after lawyer couple killed, TRS chief detained; father factors to ‘illegal’ land offers

FIVE MONTHS earlier than they have been hacked to loss of life on a busy freeway in Peddapalli district of Telangana on Wednesday afternoon, lawyer couple G Vaman Rao (52) and G Nagamani (48) had sought safety from the excessive court docket, alleging police harassment over their PIL which sought a probe into an alleged custodial loss of life.
This was simply one of many many instances that Rao and Nagamani — who practiced within the Telangana High Court and have been recognized for his or her activism — had taken up. According to a pal of the couple, that they had additionally filed a number of police complaints in opposition to some native political leaders over “suspicious” land offers.
On Wednesday, between 2:15 and a couple of:30 pm, Rao and Nagamani, mother and father of a teenaged son, have been pulled out of their automobile and hacked to loss of life. Scores of individuals witnessed the assault — no less than three state transport buses, dozens of vehicles and two-wheelers stopped on the freeway because the couple’s automotive was blocked by the 2 unidentified assailants. Several individuals additionally videographed the assault.
In one of many purported video clips of the incident, an injured Rao has named Kunta Srinivas, a neighborhood Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief. Srinivas, president of the occasion unit in Manthani mandal, and two others, recognized as Veldi Vasantha Rao and Chiranjeevi, have been detained on Thursday.
Srinivas and Veldi Vasantha Rao have been named within the FIR, on the idea of a grievance filed by Rao’s father, G Kishan Rao. The FIR, filed on the Ramagiri police station, additionally names a 3rd suspect — Akkapaka Kumar.
In his grievance, Kishan Rao has mentioned that his son and daughter-in-law have been killed as a result of that they had threatened to reveal “illegal” land offers.
Passersby shot movies of Vaman Rao mendacity on the street however didn’t provide assist. (Video screenshots)
The FIR says Rao and Nagamani have been focused as a result of that they had objected to the allegedly unlawful development of a temple and home on a plot of land in Gunjapadugu village. Srinivas is alleged to be behind the development.
On Wednesday afternoon, when Rao and Nagamani reached the outskirts of Kalvacherla village, they have been attacked with looking knives and hacked a number of instances, says the FIR. “As a end result, they each sustained extreme bleeding accidents. While taking them to Peddapalli hospital, they each died,’’ it says.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Kishan Rao mentioned his son had filed a number of complaints in opposition to native actual property builders for alleged land grabbing. “I have named three persons in my complaint to Ramagundam Police Commissioner, including one who is associated with the ruling TRS. I suspect that these three persons are behind the attack,” he mentioned.

“My son used to help people draft missing person’s complaints. If police did not take action, he would file petitions in court. He would not remain silent if he came to know of land grabbing or illegal activities in our mandal,” Kishan Rao mentioned.
“Rao had lodged several police complaints against some local political leaders over suspicious land deals. He had warned police that if they did not take action he was prepared to file petitions in court,” advocate Harish Chandra, a pal of the couple, mentioned.
While there was no official response from the TRS, Telangana Home Minister M Mahmood Ali mentioned the state authorities had taken a severe view of the incident and directed police to conduct an intensive probe and arrest the culprits. “They shall be caught quickly and the legislation will cope with them,’’ he mentioned.
The BJP has sought a response from Chief Minister Okay Chandrashekar Rao. State BJP president Bandi Sanjay mentioned the incident had shaken individuals, and drew consideration to the legislation and order scenario within the state.
On Thursday, the Telangana High Court issued suo motu discover to the state authorities over the incident. Describing the killings as “unfortunate”, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijayasen Reddy requested Advocate General B S Prasad to file a standing report on the investigation. The court docket additionally directed the police to hint all of the video clips of the assault and protect them as proof.
Ramagundam Police Commissioner V Satyanarayana mentioned name information data of a number of suspects have been being scrutinised. Police mentioned a number of groups had been shaped to trace down the attackers.
Last 12 months, the couple – their funeral was held in Manthani city on Thursday – had filed a PIL searching for an investigation into the alleged custodial loss of life of Sheelam Rangaiah, a “poacher” who was discovered hanging in Manthani Police Station on May 26, after being detained. After submitting the PIL, the couple had alleged police harassment and sought safety from the High Court in September.
Per week again, Rao had taken a minor to the State Human Rights Commission after she was allegedly raped by her uncle. The lawyer had alleged that the police weren’t investigating her case critically.