Five involved in illegal land dealings arrested

Five persons accused of defrauding innocent poor people claiming to be members of Bhoodan Committee were arrested and sent to judicial remand, said ACP (Town) PV Ganesh.

Khammam: Five persons accused of defrauding innocent poor people claiming to be members of Bhoodan Committee were arrested and sent to judicial remand, said ACP (Town) PV Ganesh.

In a statement here on Tuesday he informed that on July 15 cases were registered at Khanapuram Haveli police station against 13 persons who encouraged a group of people to encroach on private lands and erect huts at Velugumatla near Khammam city.

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The accused, Koppera Venkanna, Vakaboina Ramulu, Barigela Jayamma, Budige Ramulu and Banala Lakshmana Chary along with eight others of Velugumatla formed a gang. They threatened private land owners of the respective area and demanded Rs 1 lakh from them and took half of the money, the ACP said.

When they demanded for the rest of the money the land owners refused to pay. Then the gang members trapped landless poor people promising them to provide house sites and collected Rs 10, 000 to Rs 1 lakh from them and incited them to encroach on the private lands.

Cases have been registered against the accused under various sections for land encroachment, obstructing police from performing duties and possession of deadly weapons. Special teams have been being formed to nab the eight other accused, who were absconding, Ganesh noted.

He warned that strict legal action would be taken against the accused to prevent similar incidents repeating in future.