Jagan demands CBI probe into Yerpedu mishap

Tirupati: Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy demanded CBI probe into Yerpedu accident which claimed 15 innocent lives.He expressed several doubts over the incident. He wondered why the main accused Dhananjayulu Naidu and Chiranjeevulu Naidu were not arrested.Why the gates of the police station were closed to stop the farmers from entering the station? Why they were made to wait outside the station? Why the lorry came and mowed down 15 lives? These are serious doubts and only through CBI enquiry the truth will come out, Jagan asserted.

Highlights:

• Wonders why leaders of sand mafia Dhananjayulu Naidu and Chiranjeevulu Naidu were not arrested despite receiving complaints against them from villagers
• Alleges that CM is encouraging illegal sand mining
• Says the TDP leaders earned Rs 200 cr as commission from sand mafia during the last two years

Speaking to the media at Munagalapalem in Yerpedu mandal in Srikalahasti constituency on Sunday, he said that TDP leaders have earned Rs 200 crore on sand during these 2-3 years. “Every villager is claiming the names of Dhananjayulu Naidu, Chiranjeevulu Naidu and Mani Naidu as the leaders of the sand mafia. They are mining the sand illegally. But, they are also saying that the big shots are behind them. The villagers tried to file cases against them several times. But no police officer or Tahsildar has come to their rescue. As the government big shots are behind them, the police could not dare enough to file cases against the accused,” Jagan said.

The villagers are saying that it was not an accident, but clearly a murder, he said.He alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his son, Minister Lokesh and other Cabinet colleagues were receiving crores as commission from the sand mafia. They were sharing the commission amounts. Jagan alleged that they were not leaving soil, sand, contractors, construction of capital and even Polavaram. “In everything they want commission and bribes. The leaders and the government are looting the state,” Jagan remarked.

Referring to Rs 10 lakh ex gratia provided to the kin of the victims, Jagan said the government lacked humanity. He said payment of an ex gratia of Rs 50 lakh is also not enough. Can they bring back the lives of 15 persons, he questioned. Had the police allowed the villagers inside the station compound, they would have survived, he said.Jagan said illegal sand mining was going on everywhere. In Srikalahasti constituency alone, sand mining was taking place at 8 places. They were doing it with JCBs that too during nights, which is against the guidelines. They went to a depth of 20-30 feet already. They were exporting the sand to Bengaluru and Chennai.

“This is organised mafia activity. What the government is doing,” Jagan asked. He called the media also to fight against this mafia.Earlier, YS Jagan reached Renigunta airport from Hyderabad and proceeded to Munagalapalem by road. He consoled the families of victims there and later at Musalipedu and Rachapalem. He paid his last respects to the mortal remains of Jayachandra Naidu whose cremation took place on Sunday.

He assured the bereaved families that he and his party will stand in support of them and fight for their cause. The kin of the victims told him that the villagers went only to complain against sand mafia. They lost their bread winners. Jagan was accompanied by Tirupati MP V Varaprasad, MLAs Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Sunil Kumar. Local leaders like Biyyapu Madhusudan Reddy and others were also present.Meanwhile, gloomy atmosphere prevailed at Munagalapalem village even on the third day after the Yerpedu tragedy. The locals have not resumed their daily chores and they are still in a state of shock. The pain and grief on their faces is still visible.