Left parties accuse Bhatti, wife of influencing probe into Khammam CPM leader’s murder

CPI (M) leaders in Khammam staged a massive dharna at the collectorate, accusing Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and his wife Nandini of influencing the investigation into the murder of party leader Samineni Rama Rao. The protest, supported by BRS, CPI and CPI (ML) New Democracy, saw villagers from Patharlapadu join in large numbers.

Khammam: CPI (M) leaders have accused Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and his wife Nandini of influencing the investigation into the murder of CPI (M) leader Samineni Rama Rao that took place on October 31 in the district.

A massive dharna was staged by the party leaders at the collectorate on Tuesday demanding immediate arrest of the accused involved in the murder. BRS, CPI and CPI (ML) New Democracy parties extended support to the dharna. The protest which began at around 11.30 am continued until 2.45 pm.

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A scuffle broke out between the police and the protesters when the police prevented the party leaders from entering the collectorate to submit a memorandum to the Collector. Many people fainted in the process.

Men and women from Rama Rao’s native village Patharlapadu took part in the protest in large numbers. They raised slogans against Bhatti Vikramarka, his wife Nandini and the Commissioner of Police. They questioned why police, though equipped with modern technology, failed to arrest the assailants even after 26 days.

CPI (M) State Secretary John Wesley alleged that the police were favouring the ruling party. Rama Rao’s murder was completely political, a politically motivated murder committed by Congress. The CP was behaving like a Congress party leader, he alleged, warning that if the Collector and the CP did not respond and arrest the accused, the party would turn the issue into a statewide movement and would fight until justice was served to the Rama Rao family.

Party leader Pothineni Sudarshan Rao said the investigation was being diverted and not aimed at catching the murderers. Bhatti Vikramarka and his wife Nandini were pressuring the police, he alleged.

CPI leader Bagam Hemantha Rao, BRS leader Lingala Kamal Raju, CPI (ML) New Democracy leader Kola Lakshminarayana, AIDWA leader Mukuru Ramana, Samineni Rama Rao’s wife Swarajyam and son Vijay took part in the protest.