Hanamkonda hotelier couple die in fire; family alleges suicide over rent dispute

Hanamkonda hotelier couple Lingala Kedari and Pushpalatha died after a fire at their hotel, with family members alleging that they took the extreme step following a dispute over unpaid rent. Kedari was also known for serving Telangana movement activists and campaigning against food wastage.

Hanamkonda: Hanamkonda’s famous hotelier couple Lingala Kedari and his wife Pushpalatha allegedly died by suicide at their hotel at Adalat junction in the city with many mourning their death.

According to sources, a massive fire broke out at Lingala Kedari Foodcourt late on Wednesday night. The couple was said to have sustained 85 percent burn injuries in the incident. Kedari died while being shifted to MGM Hospital in Warangal and his wife died on Thursday.

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Initially, everyone thought that the fire broke out accidentally. Later the family members revealed to the media that the couple immolated themselves by dousing their bodies with diesel. The hotel building owner allegedly insulted Pushpalatha as the couple failed to pay the rent for the past few months. It forced them to resort to the extreme step, the family members said.

It might be recalled that Kedari and his wife used to provide free tea, snacks and meals at their hotel to the students and activists visiting Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial at Adalat centre to stage protests during the height of the Telangana movement.

The services Kedari couple rendered during the movement earned them a special recognition. Having provided food to activists without expecting anything in return, he continued that same spirit of service thereafter.

Kedari also made significant efforts to spread the message against wasting food among the public in Hanamkonda and Warangal. He used to impose fines on those who wasted food at his hotel while handing over rewards to those who finished eating without wasting food.

Kedari’s service activities have garnered recognition at the national level as two years ago; Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Kedari in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme for effectively championing the slogan ‘Do not waste food’.