Husband of Telugu Desam candidate in Banepalli accuses YSRC of abducting him

ANANTAPUR: A tense situation is prevailing at Rayadurgam on Sunday after the husband of a sarpanch candidate of Banepalli gram panchayat belonging to Telugu Desam was abducted. The kidnapping took place near Molakalmur in Karnataka.

According to Eeranna, TD leader from Banepalli in Rayadurgam assembly segment, he went to offer pooja and seek blessings from the goddess of a temple in Hulagi of Koppal district before his wife could file nomination papers for the post of sarpanch in the ward reserved for women.

Eeranna was at Molakalmur bus stand in Karnataka, about 30 km from his village, when a group of unidentified persons dragged him into car and took him into deserted fields away from Molakalmur town. Eeranna said he escaped from the abductors at Morampalli village in Karnataka and reached home on Sunday.

“The abductors beat me severely and forcibly poured liquor into my mouth. They demanded that my wife should not file her nomination for the gram panchayat polls, as they want a unanimous election in the area,” Eeranna recalled.

TD politburo member Kalava Srinivasulu lashed out at YSRC MLA Kapu Ramachandra Reddy for terrorising Telugu Desam cadres in villages where he is not in a position to win elections through democratic means. Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu also spoke to Eeranna over telephone and promised support from the party.

In view of complaints about pressure from rival parties for unanimous polls, police have formed 44 shadow teams to prevent such incidents in Anantapur district, superintendent of police Satya Esubabu disclosed. Police also seized Rs. 2 lakh from relatives of a sarpanch candidate travelling in a vehicle at Mudigubba.

Meanwhile, district collector Gandham Chandrudu has reviewed poll arrangements in 12 mandals of Kadiri revenue division.