BRS youth leader, main accused in attack on Vikarabad collector, surrenders

Hyderabad: Seven days after the attack on Vikarabad district collector Prateek Jain and other officials in Lagcherla, the main accused in the case named B Suresh surrendered before the police late on Tuesday.

Suresh, a leader of the BRS youth wing, who allegedly planned and instigated the attack on November 11, surrendered before a local court in Kodangal town, Vikarabad. Suresh was on the run after the incident until now.

A senior police official confirmed that Suresh’s passport had been seized and a lookout circular (LOC) was issued against him. “Once he is remanded in judicial custody by the court, a petition will be filed seeking his police custody,” the official said.

What led to the attack on the collector in Lagcherla?

The police named BRS former Kodangal MLA Patnam Narender Reddy as A-1 and Suresh as A-2 in the FIR registered in connection with the attack that occurred in Lagcherla village, Dudyala mandal, Vikarabad, on November 11. Villagers were protesting the acquisition of their land for proposed pharmaceutical companies.

While a public hearing was planned by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) on the outskirts of the village, Suresh requested the district collector, Prateek Jain, to visit the village so farmers could express their views. The collector accepted the request and visited the village with other officials. However, they were confronted by a mob, police said.

Protesters shoved Prateek and threw stones at his vehicle and others with the district authorities. Additional Collector Linga Naik, Kodangal Area Development Authority (KADA) chairman Venkat Reddy and DSP-ranked police official Srinivas Reddy were injured in the attack.

25 persons arrested for attack on collector

Four special teams were constituted by the police to trace the identity of Suresh, who instigated the villagers allegedly at the instance of the former MLA. Based on a complaint filed by Vikarabad DSP Srinivas Reddy three cases were registered by the Bomraspet police under 61 (2), 191 (4), 132, 109, 121 (1), 126 (2) 324 r/w 190 BNS Sec 30 of PDPP Act, 128 of BNSS in connection with the violence at Lagcherla.

So far 25 people, including a former MLA Patnam Narender Reddy, have been arrested. Narender Reddy, who was charged with conspiracy and abetment, has been named the prime accused in the case. He is accused of frequently contacting Suresh to monitor the execution of their plans regarding the attack.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government issued orders to transfer the DSP of Parigi, Karunasagar, attaching him to the DGP office. He was serving as the DSP of Lagcherla at the time of the incident, where the government officials were attacked by the villagers. Karunakar Reddy was replaced by DSP Srinivas.

Separate jail barrack for Patnam Narender Reddy

Patnam Narender Reddy has been granted a separate barrack in Cherlapally jail by the Telangana High Court, after going through his plea for allotment of a separate barrack separating from other inmates in the jail. Apart from that, the High Court also allowed the former MLA to receive home-cooked meals while in jail. The bench, led by Justice Sridevi, is set to hear the quash petition shortly.