Tension prevailed at the controversial land parcel in survey no 540 at Gurrampode Thanda of Mattampally mandal in the district on Sunday when police resorted to lathi-charge against BJP workers when they destroyed the sheds in the land.
About 20 minutes before the arrival of BJP leaders including State president Bandi Sanjay, MLAs Raja Singh and Raghunandhan Rao and Vijayashanthi, enraged BJP members broke down the fence around the 412 acre in survey no 540, which was in possession of a Ravinder Reddy from Rayalaseema. They also damaged a water tank located in the land. To disperse the BJP members, police resorted to lathi charge against them. Reacting to it, the BJP workers pelted stones at the police. It took about 30 minutes for the police to bring the situation under control.
The land totalling 1,870 acres in survey no 540 at Gurrampode Thanda has become a focal political point in the district as leaders of ruling and opposition parties have been indulging in allegations and counter-allegations pertaining to the land.
Decades ago, land in survey no 540 was allocated for the displaced tribals of Nagarjuna Sagar Project as part of Relief and Rehabilitation package. Since the place is located near a forest and away from residential areas, some tribals were not interested in relocating to the place even though D-pattas were issued to them by the government. Taking advantage of the situation, some persons illegally registered 400 acres of land on their names with the help of political leaders and officials. The land changed hands about 10 times under the Congress rule in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
Ravinder Reddy put up a fence around 400 acres of land in survey no 540 and constructed sheds. Huzurnagar MLA Shanampudi Saidi Reddy and Nalgonda MP and TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy brought this to the notice of District Collector T Vijay Krishna Reddy. After inquiry, the officials took back 120 acres of encroached land in survey no 540 and initiated measures to re-allocate them to the oustees of NSP.
On Sunday, the BJP called for “Girijana Barosa yatra” and several BJP leaders came to Gurrampode Thanda to attend a public meeting planned there. In view of the development, a large number of police personnel were deployed at the place as a precautionary measure.
