The horrific murder of Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) Vijaya Reddy in Telangana’s Abdullahpurmet has left the state in shock, with condolences for the woman Tehsildar pouring in even as her grieving family comes to terms with her untimely death.
Vijaya Reddy had two children - a 10-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son, and was the first Tehsildar of Abdullahpurmet after the office was opened around three years ago.
A former government teacher, she is reported to have resigned to pursue further studies and qualify as an MRO. She had also reportedly received an award for the best mandal revenue officer in 2018.
Did delay in land row result in murder?
According to officials, there was a controversy over several acres of land between Gowrelli and Bacharam villages with around 30 families staking claim over it. The man who set Vijaya to fire, K Suresh, and his brother too were involved in the dispute.
Speaking to a local channel, one of the Suresh’s family members said that there was a delay in processing their query for pattadhar passbooks and the case had been pending for years.
"Though clearance had been given, the officials never transferred the lands to his (Suresh’s) name stating that there needs to be digital clearance," the relative claimed.
Local media reports suggested that Suresh was asking for land pattadar passbooks to be issued in his name, and was pointing out that he already had his name on a 1/B document (which details survey numbers owned by an individual in a specific area).
Speaking to the media, however, Suresh’s uncle, Durgaiah, denied that Suresh was involved in the land row and claimed that the dispute was being handled by village elders.
Durgaiah also said that while Suresh was aware of the row and even knew that it was being heard in the High Court, he was not personally involved in the mediation. The family expressed shock that Suresh had taken such an extreme step.
The government has now sought a report from district revenue authorities on the incident and about the alleged fallout over land.
Though delay in digitisation of records could have been at the heart of the issue, there has been unanimous and widespread condemnation over the ghastly murder.
State Minister K T Rama Rao has condemned the murder of Vijaya Reddy calling it "reprehensible".
Taking to Twitter, he said, "I am shocked beyond words about the Abdullapurmet MRO Smt. Vijaya’s brutal murder. No matter what the unresolved issue was, this sort of inhuman attack is reprehensible and has no place in a democracy. My heartfelt condolences to the family of Smt. Vijaya Reddy Garu."
I am shocked beyond words about the Abdullapurmet MRO Smt. Vijaya’s brutal murder. No matter what the unresolved issue was, this sort of inhuman attack is reprehensible and has no place in a democracy. My heartfelt condolences to the family of Smt. Vijaya Reddy Garu
— KTR (@KTRTRS) November 4, 2019
Congress MP Revanth Reddy also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family. He urged the government to provide necessary security to the officials.
V Lachireddy of the Telangana Deputy Collectors Association and S Ramulu of Telangana Tehsildar Association condemned the incident calling it a "brutal murder".
In a statement, the officials said that killing an official right in her workplace is shocking and alarming while stating that government officials should be given enough security.
"We shall bring the culprit to book and ensure that the severest punishment is awarded at the earliest. Justice will be rendered to the victim and her family members," DGP Mahender Reddy said.
While a case of murder has been registered against the accused, police said they were investigating if anyone provoked Suresh to commit the crime.