An Assistant Director of the Mines Department, V. Koteswara Raju, was assaulted by tribals on the Kannedhara Hills near Seethampeta as the agitation against the mining lease granted to R&B Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao’s family took a violent turn on Friday.
Angry tribals beat up the official and tore his dress holding him responsible for granting the mining lease to the family of the Minister on the Kannedhara Hills. Mr. Koteswara Raju ran for safety as tribals attacked him with sticks and footwear in the presence of senior officials, including Additional Joint Collector T. Baburao Naidu.
Official mobbed
Local tribals mobbed him when he came to show the actual site to the inquiry committee headed by the Additional Joint Collector.
They alleged that Mr. Raju was trying to mislead the committee by showing a different site which is far away from the Kannedhara temple. President of the Praja Rajyam Srikakulam district unit Palavalasa Karunakar tried in vain to pacify the slogan-shouting local people.
Complaint
The Assistant Director later lodged a complaint with the SP, K. V. V. Gopala Rao, who advised him to file a case in Seetampeta also. Mr. Koteswara Raju said the granite mining lease was granted to the Dharmana family based on a ‘no-objection certificate’ issued by the Revenue Department.
Version of official
“The Mines Department grants leases based on reports given by other departments. It is wrong to accuse me of showing a different site to the committee. I really do not know who instigated the attack on me,” Mr.Raju said.
Meanwhile, the TDP, the Praja Rajyam and the CPI (M) vowed to continue the fight till the mining lease was cancelled. “Mr. Prasada Rao is responsible for the entire episode. Officials have become puppets in his hands,” said Mr. Karunakar.