KTR, 2 former MLAs booked for 'unauthorized' drone flying at Medigadda barrage

Hyderabad: Police have booked BRS working president and MLA KT Rama Rao (KTR), former MLAs Balka Suman and Gandra Venkataramana Reddy for flying a drone `unauthorizedly’ at Medigadda barrage.

An FIR has been registered under BNS 223(b) at Mahadevapur police station in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, for unauthorised drone flying at Medigadda barrage between 12:30 pm and 2 pm on July 26.

Police registered the case based on a complaint from Vali Shaik, an Assistant Executive Engineer at Medigadda, on July 29. However, the information about the FIR came to light on Tuesday. Drones were flown without permission during KTR's visit, the case said.

In his complaint, Vali Shaik stressed how important the Medigadda Barrage project is to the Telangana government and how unauthorized drone operation could be dangerous for public safety. After social media users saw footage of the drone flying, the authorities were notified of the problem.

The ruling Congress and BRS have been engaged in a war of words over the damage to some piers of the Medigadda barrage, part of the project.

The National Dam Safety Authority had found in November last year that the Medigadda barrage had been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully rehabilitated.

The damage to the Medigadda barrage during the previous BRS regime was a major issue in last year's Legislative Assembly polls.

Alleging harassment by the government, BRS sources said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy himself had earlier termed flying drones a trivial issue and hence the case will have no seriousness.