Police arrest Cong leaders in Mancherial

Kagaznagar: Manthani MLA Sridhar Babu faulted the TRS government for arresting Congress' Nija Nirdharana (Fact Finding) Committee members, who are trying to find out the truth behind the clash in shift cultivation land in Sarasala village of Kagaznagr mandal, where woman Forest Range Officer was assaulted by Asifabad Zilla Parishad vice-chairman Koneru Krishna and his supporters four days ago.

The committee leaders condemned the attack and demanded serious action to be taken against the culprits. Remembering Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's promise at a public meeting in Asifabad before the elections, they demanded the government to issue pattadar passbooks to aboriginal farmers, who have been cultivating forest lands for decades.

MLC Jeevan Reddy criticised the CM for moving Kaleshwaram project from Tummidi Hatti to Kaleshwaram.

Mancherial police arrested Congress leaders at the house of former MLC Kokkirala Premsagar Rao in Mancherial, after they visited Sarasala village, where a Forest official was assaulted by Asifabad ZP vice-chief Koneru Krishna Rao and 16 others.

The arrested Congress leaders include Mulugu MLA Seethakka, Sridhar Babu, Jagga Reddy, MLC Jeevan Reddy, Mancherial district Congress committee president Kokkirala Surekha, Adduri Laxman Kumar, Sirpur constituency in-charge Dr Palvai Harish Babu.