Farmer attempts suicide after alleged harassment by Narayanapur police

Hyderabad: A farmer attempted suicide on December 24, as he was unable to bear alleged harassment from the staff of Narayanapur police station under the Rachakonda commissionerate. Kashaiah consumed pesticide to kill himself, following which his family blamed Narayanapur police station for harassing Kashaiah and them over a land dispute. Meanwhile, the police reported that he had three cases against him.

“According to our superior’s instructions, a team had gone to his house to take him and present him before the Tahsildar. However, Kashaiah threatened us with suicide, due to which the team had to withdraw the attempt and return to the station,” said Narayanapur Sub Inspector D Nagaraju.

Kashaiah and his family members own 17 acres of farmland at Aregudem village of Narayanapur Mandal in Yadadri district. They alleged that one Y Narender Reddy, who owns 30 acres of land in the same area, influenced the police to grab their 17 acres. The police registered three “false” cases against Kashaiah and others at the insistence of Narender Reddy.

Kashaiah had submitted representations to higher officials and even to the Police Commissioner on his dilemma, seeking their immediate intervention. However, nothing changed, and the police officers continued to harass them, the family members alleged.

On Tuesday, while the 59-year-old was in his field, a group of five policemen approached him and asked him to go with them to the police station. “He refused, as the officers had taken him to the police station and beat him badly in the past. He was scared. As they tried to overpower him, he panicked and consumed pesticide. Seeing this, the policemen fled from the spot,” the family said.

Kashaiah was then rushed to a hospital at Hayatnagar, where he currently admitted to the ICU. He is being kept under observation for the next 24 hours.