Land owners face death threats in Vattinagulapalli land row

Owners of a 27-acre land near Hyderabad’s ORR alleged repeated attacks and threats linked to persons associated with a Minister’s family. The affected family claimed intimidation, demolition of property and lack of police action despite court orders in their favour

Hyderabad: Owners of a 27-acre land abutting the Outer Ring Road (ORR) at Vattinagulapally alleged repeated attacks, intimidation and death threats linked to individuals reportedly associated with Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s family.

After the BRS legislators’ delegation, led by party working president KT Rama Rao, extended solidarity to the affected family, the family head, Satish Shah, told newsmen that his family had owned and lived on the land since 1969 without dispute, but had faced pressure in recent months to part with it. “First, they asked for a few acres for the road, then the entire land. We refused. After that, surveys were conducted without our knowledge,” he said, adding that the High Court has since suspended such surveys.

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His wife Pallavi Shah said the family has been living in constant fear since Diwali last year. She alleged that nearly 70 men reportedly belonging to Raghava Constructions brought bulldozers and demolished the goshala and the compound wall, besides assaulting staff. “We were attacked five times. They threatened to bury us alive if we didn’t give up the land,” she said, adding that despite court orders in their favour, the police failed to intervene effectively and even restricted the family’s access to their own property.