Fake Compassionate Appointment Racket Busted In Kadapa, 2 Held

Fake compassionate appointment racket busted in Kadapa, 2 held Accused Syed Masthan and Srinivasulu Reddy confessed to receiving money from aspirants since 2018. Appointees collected salaries totalling to ₹3.80 crore. RAMACHANDRA REDDY GUNDAM | DC KADAPA, AUG. 12 Kadapa police have arrested two government employees on Wednesday for allegedly cheating unemployed youth by promising compassionate appointments, forging signatures of senior officials, and issuing fake government appointment orders. Kadapa district SP Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath said the accused collected ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh from each candidate and issued forged appointment letters to around 25 job seekers. In all, the accused collected between ₹1.70 crore and ₹2 crore from the job aspirants, while the government exchequer has suffered a loss of around ₹3.80 crore, according to preliminary estimates. The arrested accused have been identified as Syed Masthan Valli, 46, junior assistant at EEPRI, Badvel, and Chilumaru Srinivasulu Reddy, 46, senior assistant at MPP, Kamalapuram. Both are currently under suspension and had earlier worked at the Zilla Praja Parishad office in Kadapa. Kadapa I Town police registered a case on August 3 based on a complaint by Zilla Praja Parishad CEO C. Subramanyam. The complaint followed an inquiry into alleged irregularities in preparation of the seniority list for compassionate appointments under G.O. No. 1005.

According to police, accused Syed Masthan and Srinivasulu Reddy used their knowledge of vacancies, posts, and procedures related to compassionate appointments to identify job seekers and convince them that they could secure government jobs.

They allegedly forged the signatures of former administrative officers, deputy CEOs and CEOs of Zilla Praja Parishad, and prepared fake proceedings and appointment orders to make them appear as genuine government documents.

Using the forged orders, the candidates reported for duty at various government offices. Some joined as office subordinates and others as watchmen. Investigations found that the candidates subsequently received salaries and other benefits from the government. As a result, the government exchequer has lost around ₹3.80 crore, as per preliminary estimates.

During their interrogation after arrest, Syed Masthan and Srinivasulu Reddy confessed that they have been collecting money in the name of compassionate appointments since 2018. Investigators are examining whether other government officials, employees, or private individuals are involved in the racket.

The SP said further action would be taken based on evidence gathered during the investigations.

Debt-ridden farmer dies by suicide

A farmer allegedly died by suicide at his agricultural field in G. Narasimhapuram village of Brahmamgarimatham mandal in Kadapa district, reportedly unable to bear the burden of debts.

The deceased was identified as Chennuboyina Subbarayudu. According to local residents, a person who had reportedly lent money to Subbarayudu visited his house four days ago and allegedly abused him over repayment of the debt.

Subbarayudu was reportedly distressed and humiliated following the incident. He later went to his agricultural field and allegedly took the extreme step.

Police registered a case and launched an investigation. The body was shifted to the government hospital in Badvel for post-mortem examination. Police were investigating into the incident.

11 passengers injured as private bus rams lorry in Eluru district

Eleven passengers were injured, five of them suffering fractures, when a private travel bus rammed into a moving lorry near Putlagatlagudem in Jangareddygudem mandal of Eluru district at around 5.08 am on Wednesday.

According to Lakkavaram police, the bus was carrying around 45 passengers from Hyderabad to Kakinada when it lost control and hit the lorry from behind. The injured were shifted to government and nearby private hospitals in Jangareddygudem for treatment.

The private bus operator arranged an alternative bus for the stranded passengers. Some continued their journey in the alternative bus, while others made their own arrangements.

Police registered a case and took up an investigation.

Beat officer suspended over tiger death, concealment in Atmakur forest

Forest department has suspended forest beat officer S. Mehboob Basha in connection with the death of a tiger in a poacher’s snare in the Atmakur Forest division and alleged concealment of the incident by field staff.

The suspension order came after senior forest officials came to know that the tiger carcass had allegedly been burnt without informing higher authorities. This has raised serious concerns over the functioning of the protection staff in the forest division.

Field employees entrusted with protecting wildlife are expected to report any wild animal’s death to senior officials and act as per their orders, instead of themselves disposing of the carcass.

Forest officials had earlier confirmed that a case had been registered in connection with the tiger’s death after getting caught in a snare allegedly laid by poachers.

Officials are now conducting a detailed investigation to identify those who laid the snare and establish the circumstances leading to the tiger’s death and subsequent disposal of the carcass.

The investigation will include the role of the suspended beat officer and seven protection watchers in the tiger’s death and disposal of its carcass.

Two youths arrested for attacking head constable in Srikalahasti

Two youths have been arrested for allegedly attacking a police head constable and attempting to stab him with a knife in Srikalahasti town.

The accused have been identified as A. Srinivasulu, 22, and S. Jitendra Kumar, 20, both residents of Srikalahasti.

Disclosing case details at a press conference on Wednesday, Tirupati district additional SP Ravi Manoharachari said Srinivasulu allegedly attacked head constable U. Ramanaiah and attempted to stab him during an argument following a road accident on Tuesday evening.

Ramanaiah was on his way to Srikalahasti Railway Station after receiving a 112 call about a laptop theft. Near Happy Kitchen on the Tirupati-Srikalahasti main road, he noticed two two-wheelers involved in an accident.

The head constable helped an injured woman get into an auto and sent her to a hospital. As one of the scooters was blocking traffic, he had it moved to the side and took its keys, asking the rider to come to the police station.

The ASP said the pillion rider, Srinivasulu, then allegedly abused Ramanaiah and pulled his uniform shirt. He allegedly took out a knife from a pouch at his waist and attempted to stab the head constable, who escaped the attack. Based on Ramanaiah's report, Srikalahasti I Town police registered a case and launched an investigation.

They arrested Srinivasulu on Tuesday and his accomplice Jitendra Kumar on Wednesday. The knife used in the attempted attack has been seized.

The ASP said attacks on police personnel on duty and obstruction of police work would be dealt with seriously. Legal action would be taken against those violating the law.