Mahbubnagar: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was allegedly clubbed to death by a group of men, the police said on Wednesday.
The deceased has been identified as Prem Kumar Reddy.
The police said that as per initial probe, Srikanth Reddy, son of a local TRS leader who had fought and lost the local body elections, was behind the murder.
Srikanth along with five others have been taken into custody for further investigation.
The state BJP unit has claimed that political rivalry is the reason behind the barbaric act and has accused TRS for the same. The incident took place in Dokur village of Devarakadra mandal in the district.
“Prem and Srikanth were not getting along well with each other ever since the election dates were declared. Srikanth had tried to harm Prem earlier too,” said Police Inspector Panduranga Reddy.
State BJP president Dr Laxman alleged that TRS was “not able to digest” the growing support for BJP in the state.
“In recent elections, BJP has grown like anything in Telangana. Not just that, we have defeated CM KCR’s daughter with a huge majority. The sea change we see in Telangana, TRS is unable to see it. There was Modi wave throughout the country. It was surprising for TRS which expected that it will win all the seats,” he said while talking to ANI.
“BJP has improved its strength in the recently held local body polls. We have defeated ruling TRS party candidates. After celebrations in the village, TRS goons, TRS candidate and his son attacked Prem Kumar and he was killed on the spot. He was an upcoming young cadre for our party. His grand-mother was Mahila Morcha Mandal president two decades back. Not only Prem, even in other parts TRS party cadres hit one of our other candidates who lost narrowly.
They attacked the candidate’s house and hit him with an iron rod,” he said.
Accusing the ruling TRS government of adopting West Bengal type politics in Telangana, he said, “Only BJP is fighting for public issues. I strongly condemn such killing. I strongly warn the government that killing our cadres will prove very costly in politics. Tomorrow, we are protesting against this “goondaism” of TRS. They have got money, power, and politics. We are fighting by democratic means against this undemocratic government.”
Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao while commenting on the issue said, “There is a tribal village Deverekonda where already one sarpanch was elected long back. After that MPTC election was conducted and after TRS won, they are making a procession and attacking the houses of tribals. TRS workers are becoming ‘gundas’. It is a political murder.”
Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav while reacting to the development said, “Nowhere in the country is law and order situation as strong as here. Whosoever has committed the crime, action will be taken against him.”
Meanwhile, BJP leaders staged a protest in the district demanding justice. They also met Mahbubnagar Superintendent of Police, Rema Rajeshwari, requesting her to take immediate action against the suspects involved in the murder.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]