ANANTAPUR: Tense situation prevailed in Patnam village in Mudigubba mandal on Monday after followers of Dharmavaram MLA G. Suryanarayana alias Varadapuram Suri allegedly thrashed a farmer for refusing to give away his land located on Anantapur-Chennai highway at Patnam. A police constable was reportedly beaten up when he tried to stop the group from attacking the farmer. According to victim, P. Koti Reddy of Patnam village, he had some agriculture land located near Patnam police station on NH road and the MLA’s followers were mounting pressure on him to part with his land.
On Monday, a group of MLA’s followers cornered the farmer and beat him up. A police constable, who tried to rescue the farmer, was also beaten up mercilessly. Later, they took away a cellphone from a bystander who had captured the incident. Farmer Koti Reddy and his relatives lodged a police complaint. However, Telugu Desam leaders from Patnam said YSRC leader Koti Reddy had no records pertaining to land ownership. The MLA planned to distribute house pattas in the DC land, but the YSRC leader was obstructing officials, they alleged.
