Telangana

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in Telangana saw several Congress Ministers and MLAs facing setbacks in their native villages, with BRS-backed candidates registering victories. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s influence waned in Khammam as Army Ravi won the sarpanch post, while Devarkadra MLA G. Madhusudhan Reddy and Dornakal MLA Ramchander Naik also saw defeats in their villages.

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in Khammam and Kothagudem districts witnessed high voter turnout on Sunday. Khammam recorded 91.21 percent polling across six mandals, while Kothagudem registered 82.65 percent across seven mandals. District Collectors Anudeep Durishetty and Jitesh V. Patil confirmed smooth polling.

Police in Vikarabad district arrested a woman and her paramour for allegedly murdering her husband and attempting to pass it off as an accident. The couple initially claimed it was an accident, but a relative’s suspicion led police to probe further.

Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad stop during his GOAT India tour has sparked a political storm in Telangana. Social media users criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy after videos showed him pushing away a teenager seeking a selfie with Messi, while allowing his family members and children of Congress leaders to interact with the football legend.

In a dramatic turn during gram panchayat elections in Medak, the husband of sarpanch candidate Cheriyala Sabitha went missing hours before polling in Gollapally village, Chegunta mandal. Police launched a search using drones and sniffer dogs, eventually tracing Janardhan Reddy in a nearby forest 12 hours later.

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Karimnagar district concluded peacefully with high voter turnout across most mandals. Despite chilly weather, rural voters queued up from early morning to cast their votes, and officials confirmed that polling was conducted smoothly without any untoward incidents.

In a rare electoral contest, Mangegalla Ramakrishnaiah defeated his younger son Venkatesh in the gram panchayat elections at Jhansilingapur village, Ramayampet mandal, Medak district. The unusual father-son contest became a highlight of this year’s gram panchayat elections in the district.

Telangana’s debt has escalated sharply under the Congress government, crossing Rs 7.48 lakh crore in just over two years. Of this, Rs 1.45 lakh crore was raised in the current fiscal alone, with both FRBM and off-budget loans contributing to the surge.

Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park will soon welcome two more zebras from Vantara, joining the current three. The zoo also plans to introduce a pair of Wallabies, adding exotic animals back after a 37-year gap.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao, during his tour in Suryapet district, asserted that people of Telangana were eagerly awaiting the return of party chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao as Chief Minister. He praised the previous BRS regime for ensuring peace, development, and welfare projects like Kaleshwaram.

Shaik Amair, accused in the 2024 murder of Mubarak Sigar, was stabbed to death in Pahadishareef, Hyderabad, in a suspected revenge attack. Police have registered a case and shifted the body for post-mortem. Suspects are believed to be Sigar’s relatives.

Hyderabad and Telangana are experiencing severe cold wave conditions, with minimum temperatures 2–3°C below normal. IMD warns cold will continue until December 16, while independent weather tracker predicts chilly conditions may persist until December 21.

In a historic election, Jubileenagar voters ended the Rudra family’s 45-year hold over the sarpanch post. Suddala Kamalakar defeated Rudra Ramu by 169 votes, promising development and reforms after decades of uninterrupted rule by the same family.

Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park will soon welcome its first kangaroos from Australia under an animal exchange programme with Vantara. The zoo has also arranged for a female giraffe to join Sunny, enhancing the exotic wildlife collection.

The Technical Group on Population Projections separated Telangana and Andhra Pradesh populations by disaggregating 2011 Census data. Combined fertility and mortality rates from the Sample Registration System were applied to create historical and projected population figures for both states.

Hyderabad police arrested three people for allegedly selling drugs and seized 11 grams of MDMA. The accused reportedly sourced the drugs from Bengaluru and sold them to local customers. Further investigation is underway, police said.

BRS minority leader Mukheed Chanda criticised the Congress government over alleged suicides and food poisoning in TMREIS schools. He accused the government of neglecting students from poor families and announced a fact-finding visit by party leaders.

Gram panchayat elections across villages in the erstwhile Medak district have seen a pattern of power shifting between family members, with husbands and wives swapping roles to bypass reservation norms and retain control, political observers noted.

The BRS will hold a joint meeting on December 19 to discuss Krishna and Godavari water sharing, alleging Congress negligence on irrigation projects and PRLIS allocations. The party is considering a renewed public agitation to protect Telangana’s water and farmers’ rights.

The South Central Railway’s Railway Protection Force will host the 26th All India Police Band Competition in Hyderabad from December 16 to 20. Around 1,500 performers from police and paramilitary forces across the country will take part.

BRS working president K T Rama Rao warned that continued attacks on opposition workers by the Congress could disrupt peace in Telangana. Visiting the family of a slain party activist in Suryapet, he accused the ruling party of fearing defeat in local body elections.

Hyderabad and Cyberabad police booked over 860 people during weekend drunk-driving checks. Most violators were two-wheeler riders. Special teams conducted checks across the city, and those booked will have to appear before the court.

The AIMIM has submitted objections to the GHMC’s draft ward delimitation, seeking boundary corrections. As the final notification is awaited, party cadres have begun lobbying for tickets, with the leadership expected to finalise its contest strategy soon.

Doctors say diabetes is more common in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, increasing the risk of foot ulcers and amputations. Early diagnosis, proper foot care, and timely vascular treatment can help prevent limb loss, experts stressed at a medical programme.