Hyderabad: Revenue officials on Thursday undertook a demolition drive on around eight acres of the Malla Reddy Aeronautical College in Dundigal of Medchal district, razing structures allegedly built on encroached land, sparking protests by students, denial of wrongdoing by college authorities and subsequent clashes with the police.
As the team of officials and police arrived at the college, students stood in the way of the JCB machine, with some trying to enter the machine’s control panel and one student attempting to enter the college building in a bid to halt the demolition. Even as slogans of “Go back, police” rented the air, the police brought the crowd under control and the demolition resumed, on land in Survey Nos 405, 482, 484, 488 and 590.
Revenue officials of Medchal district said BRS MLA and owner of the college, Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, had constructed the college buildings on encroached land that was part of the Chinna Damara Lake. The issue came to light following a complaint, prompting state irrigation officials to conduct a survey, which revealed the unauthorised construction of a playground and other buildings on the lake's premises.
Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, who is also the son-in-law of former BRS minister Malla Reddy, vehemently denied the allegations, asserting that the land acquisition was done legally under the gram panchayat jurisdiction. Reddy further claimed that the matter of regularisation was pending in the Supreme Court.
Speaking to the media on Thursday evening, Reddy expressed his dismay over the sudden urgency of the demolition, alleging “political vendetta” by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Congress government, accusing them of targeting him and the BRS.
The action comes hot on the heels of revenue officials demolishing a road constructed by Malla Reddy, alleging illegal encroachment of HMDA layout land.
Malla Reddy, accompanied by Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, met with Chief Minister's advisor Vem Narendar Reddy, seeking intervention in the matter.
Quthbullapur MLA and BRS leader K.P. Vivekanand came down heavily on the Congress government, claiming Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was resorting to petty grudges and attacking the Opposition. He said that the Congress was trying to create a “false image of the BRS being corrupt” in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
