Hyderabad: Armed men attack members of FCI Employees’ Cooperative Housing Society; case registered
The violence reportedly broke out while officials of HYDRAA were demarcating roads within the housing layout
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: Tensions gripped Fertiliser Corporation of India (FCI) Employees’ Cooperative Housing Society when people allegedly linked to Sandhya Conventions' owner, S Sridhar Rao, attacked inmates with sharp-edged weapons.
This incident occurred against the backdrop of a long-standing land encroachment row.
The violence reportedly broke out while officials of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) were demarcating roads within the housing layout. A group of men, allegedly acting on behalf of Sridhar Rao, attacked the plot owners using knives and bats.
Actress and plot owner Ramya Sri and her brother Prashanth were among those injured in the attack. The Gachibowli police have registered a complaint based on a report filed by the brother of one of the victims, naming Venkatesh and others as the accused. Police said the suspects are absconding and that further investigation is in progress.
HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, commenting on the incident, stated that the attack took place outside the layout and not in the presence of agency officials.
Encroachment and Illegal Construction Allegations
The FCI housing society, established in 1980, consists of 162 residential plots spread over 20 acres. According to HYDRAA, Sridhar Rao had encroached upon the society’s land by erasing existing layout markings and undertaking unauthorised construction activities.
In a major enforcement action on May 6, HYDRAA demolished multiple illegal structures erected on the disputed land. These included a mini-convention hall operated by Sandhya Conventions, a G+2 iron-shed building, restrooms, kitchens, archways, and iron fencing, all of which were razed to the ground.
Multiple Complaints, Claims of Coercion and Harassment
HYDRAA officials revealed that numerous complaints had been received from across India and abroad, with many plot owners accusing Sridhar Rao of denying them access to their properties. Others alleged that he was forging development agreements without their consent and continuing to build illegally.
In one particularly distressing case, a woman from Delhi filed a complaint online stating that her husband had taken his own life after Sridhar Rao's men allegedly declared that the plot he had purchased no longer existed. She has informed HYDRAA of her intention to visit Hyderabad to lodge a formal complaint in person.
As the investigation progresses, HYDRAA has appealed to other affected individuals to come forward with evidence and testimonies. The case has highlighted growing concerns over land encroachment, fraudulent development activities, and the safety of lawful property holders in Hyderabad.
