Man protesting at money defaulter’s house for 13 days dies in Karimnagar

Karimnagar: Eerelli Sampath, who was continuing protest in front of the house of his close friend Senigarapu Sathish for the last 13 days, died in Metpalli of Shankarapatnam mandal. He was found dead on Thursday morning when other family members went to the diksha site. Mild tension prevailed in the village when his family members […]

Karimnagar: Eerelli Sampath, who was continuing protest in front of the house of his close friend Senigarapu Sathish for the last 13 days, died in Metpalli of Shankarapatnam mandal. He was found dead on Thursday morning when other family members went to the diksha site. Mild tension prevailed in the village when his family members tried to bury the dead body in front of Sathish’s house. Police pursuaded the family members not to do so.

According to the family members, Sampath and Sathish were close friends. Sathish, who used to do seed business, incurred losses and delayed payments to farmers. Moved by his friend’s plight Sampath loaned about Rs 32 lakh to Sathish four years ago so that the latter could pay the farmers and clear all other debts.

But when Sampath suffered from ill-health and a kidney problem, he asked for return of money but Sathish was not willing to pay the entire amount. Village elders have later fixed Rs 20 lakh as the amount payable to Sampath. Sathish handed over land worth about Rs 13 lakh to the deceased, but was delaying the payment of remaining Rs 7 lakh.

Vexed over the delay, Sampath started a protest in front of Satish’s house on April 16. Though Sathish along with his family members left the village after locking the house on the same day, Sampath had been continuing his protest. Unfortunately, he died late on Wednesday night.

Family members of the deceased alleged that Sathish killed Sampath by disconnecting the power supply on Wednesday night. They also alleged that local SI Chandrashekahar has threatened Sampath against continuing the protest. While family members of the deceased have decided to continue the protest until justice was done to them, police and other government officials are trying to convince the agitators to withdraw their protest.