RS Praveen Kumar alleges sabotage in Medigadda pillar collapse

BRS leader RS Praveen Kumar alleged that the Medigadda pillar collapse was sabotage and demanded an SIT probe. He questioned the NDSA’s role, accused Congress and BJP leaders of involvement, and linked the incident to a conspiracy against KCR’s legacy

Hyderabad: Stating that the collapse of a pillar at the Medigadda Barrage, part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, was not a natural occurrence but a deliberate act of sabotage involving anti-social forces, BRS General Secretary RS Praveen Kumar called for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough probe.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, he pointed out that all three barrages of KLIP, including Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla, withstood record floods in 2022 and questioned why only one pillar at Medigadda collapsed without any clear reason. He wondered why no inquiry had been conducted into the explosion angle, stating that no statements were recorded and no seismic activity was confirmed in the area.

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Referring to a complaint lodged by an assistant engineer of the project at Mahadevapur police station on October 22, 2023, stating that loud explosion-like sounds were heard at the barrage, he said these sounds indicated possible sabotage. Yet, no investigation has identified the culprits.

Praveen Kumar said the incident was part of a calculated move to undermine K Chandrashekhar Rao’s legacy. He demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged explosions and examine whether Congress leaders, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and BJP leaders Bandi Sanjay and G Kishan Reddy were involved.

He further suggested checking their mobile phone data to trace any possible links to the incident. He criticised the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) for its silence on the explosion allegations and questioned why it promptly inspected Medigadda after a letter from Union Minister Kishan Reddy, while ignoring a dam collapse in Uttarakhand. He alleged that the NDSA’s report, which cited design and construction flaws, was part of a scripted drama to defame the BRS.

He also dismissed allegations of financial mismanagement during the BRS regime and accused the Congress of spreading false claims, such as “golden toilets” in Pragati Bhavan. He said that Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who is staying there now, had laughed off these allegations when asked.

Praveen Kumar accused Revanth Reddy of being an agent of Andhra contractors, citing Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy’s claim that 20 Andhra contractors were backing the Chief Minister. He alleged that contracts in Hyderabad’s Fourth City were awarded to companies linked to CM Ramesh, pointing to a larger conspiracy to dismantle the Kaleshwaram project for financial gain.