M.S. Rao
An innocent youngster was brutally killed at Ellapalle Village, Gangadhar Nellore mandal in Chittoor district. The victim was identified as A. Kishan, aged 33 of the same village, whose dead body was found at a sand mining area at the village. According to the locals, when Kishan tried to prevent the illegal sand mining and stop their activities at the agricultural lands, he was killed by the sand mafia.
Raghu, a local resident, alleged that the sand mafia was responsible for the death of Kishan. He explained that the villagers multiple times asked the sand mafia to stop mining there, which was negatively impacting their agriculture fields. He added that, despite their repeated requests, the concerned Mandal Tahsildar did not take any action against the illegal sand mining and sand mafia. The sand mafia not only mined the sand, but also took away the water pipes of farmers in the agriculture fields, he added. He further added that, the entire village and Panchayat opposed the mining, but the mafia did not stop it and now this murder happened for questioning them.
Nara Lokesh, TDP General Secretary, demanded immediate and complete inquiry into the alleged sand mafia and justice to the victim Kishan. He explained that the locals and family members of the victim were pointing their fingers at the sand mafia and ruling YSRCP leaders who were allegedly behind the crime. He criticised that the sand mafia under the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had been claiming the lives of innocent people across the State and this was the latest example for that. He alleged that when Kishan tried to prevent illegal sand mining at their village, the sand mafia brutally killed him. He demanded the State government to help the victim’s family.
Reacting on the incident, M. Ramesh, NR Peta ASI said that the family members of deceased lodged a complaint with the police on Thursday, suspecting the death as murder and the police started investigation immediately. Speaking over a phone conversation with this correspondent, ASI Ramesh explained that they lodged a complaint under CrPC Section 174, death due to drowning since the body was found in the water at the nearest sand mining area.
Ramesh further explained that there was no proper evidence to prove that he was killed, but they registered a case based on the complaint lodged by the victims family members. He further explained that they were waiting for the autopsy report and based on that police would take necessary action. He also informed that the family members did not specify or suspect any particular person or persons in this case and hence police could not take any action against individuals. At the same time, he maintained that the sand mining at the village was legally permitted but the villagers were opposing it. He added that the villagers were alleging that due to the mining, the borewells of the agriculture farmers would be affected badly.
