Karimnagar/Warangal: The state government’s decision to carve out 13 new mandals on July 23 has left several villages, which were excluded from the list, resentful. Residents of multiple villages in erstwhile Karimnagar and Warangal districts took to the streets and staged protests, demanding mandal status.
After the government designated mandal status to Medipally and Velgutoor in Jagtial district, residents of Mannegudem village, which is currently under the Korutla division, staged a protest on Tuesday.
Mannegudem residents, led by district forum president Naresh Reddy, staged a dharna and started a ‘Chalo Jagtial’ march in large numbers. They also tried to break into the collectorate, but the police defused the situation by allowing a delegation to meet the collector, G. Ravi.
The delegation, along with MPTC chief Ravinder Rao, submitted a memorandum to the collector, demanding mandal status for their village.
In Rajanna Sircilla district, residents of Galipally village in Ellanthakunta mandal staged a ‘rasta roko’, holding placards and demanding that the state government declare their village a mandal. They cited the role of Baddam Yellareddy in the Telangana movement for the demand.
Holding a ‘Vanta Varpu’ programme on the road, they warned of intensifying their agitation if their demand was not met.
In Mulugu, residents of Mallampally Mandal Sadhana Samithi, accompanied by political leaders, blocked roads on the NH-163 and observed a bandh in their village seeking mandal status for Mallampally village.
The roadblocks led to a vehicle pile-up of over five kilometres, following which the police intervened.
However, things took a tense turn as Raju poured petrol on himself and threatened to set himself afire. The police promised to bring the issue to the notice of the officials concerned and defused the situation.
