Suryapet: Two Killed in Clash Over Neem Tree

NALGONDA: A sudden flare‑up over a 25‑year‑old dispute concerning a neem tree standing between two houses resulted in the death of two persons, police said on Saturday. In the melee, two attackers killed their own father during the clash at Yerragattu thanda of Mellacheruvu mandal in Suryapet district.

The deceased were Mandha Venkateshwarlu Yadav, 62, who had the tree chopped down as it was reportedly damaging the compound wall, and Bhukya Saida, 58, who opposed him. Police said Saida was accidentally killed by his sons who had rushed to confront Yadav.

The two families had quarrelled several times over the tree for the past quarter of a century. On Saturday, Venkateshwarlu engaged workers to chop it down. Saida’s sons Ramu and Pedda Babu rushed to stop him and allegedly attacked Venkateshwarlu with an axe, killing him on the spot.

Saida, who tried to restrain his sons, suffered serious injuries and died while undergoing treatment at Huzurnagar area hospital. Police later booked Saida’s sons for the murder of both Venkateshwarlu and their father.

Villagers suspected Venkateshwarlu had fatally attacked Saida, leading to further tensions in Yerragattu thanda, which was divided between the two quarrelling groups. Mellacheruvu sub‑inspector M Naveen Kumar and two constables were injured while trying to pacify the villagers. Additional forces from Kodad and Suryapet were rushed to bring the situation under control. The injured police personnel were shifted to Huzurnagar hospital.

Superintendent of police N Narsimha visited the village and appealed to residents to maintain restraint. He said Pedda Babu, a suspended secondary grade teacher known as a trouble‑monger, had been involved in several clashes earlier. Police teams have been formed to arrest Ramu and Pedda Babu.