KCR is shedding people's blood to shield sand mafia: Uttam

Hyderabad: "Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is shedding the blood of poor Dalits, BCs and STs to shield the sand mafia in Sircilla which is being run by his close relatives," alleged Telangana Pradesh Congress Pradesh (TPCC) president Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday.

Uttam Kumar Reddy made this statement while reacting on the death of another Dalit, Shankar, who succumbed to the injuries which he suffered after he was crushed by a lorry of sand mafia in Sircilla. Shankar, a farmer of Pothugal village in Mustabad mandal of Sircilla district was run over by a speeding truck of sand mafia. He was first taken to the Area Hospital and in view of his deteriorating condition he was shifted to NIMS where he succumbed to injuries. "Another Dalit family lost its bread earner due to the negligence of TRS Government. When will KCR wake up from his slumber? How many more Dalits will be sacrificed for the sake of sand mafia?" asked Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The TPCC chief said that the sand mafia was enjoying the full patronage of ruling TRS party and KCR family. "KCR is sacrificing the lives of poor people for his personal gains. On an average, one person is getting killed in every 10 days in Sircilla due to illegal vehicles of sand mafia. But KCR and KTR are giving preference to illegal wealth over people's lives. KTR was elected by the people of Sircilla. But he is not protecting their lives," he said adding that the Congress party has already furnished documentary evidence to prove that KCR's close relative Santosh Rao was behind the sand mafia. He said instead of acting on the complaints, KCR family and TRS leaders were shamelessly supporting the sand mafia operations.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the TRS Government failed to take action when people complained about rising accidents in Sircilla due to sand mafia. When a few Dalits, BCs and STs protested, false cases were registered against 12 persons and eight of them were subjected to brutal torture in illegal police custody. "TRS Government has turned so arrogant that it allowed only four persons to speak to us when former Speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar visited Karimnagar District Jail. Why the TRS Govt is still in denial mode? Is it not true that people are getting killed and injured in accidents caused due to vehicles of sand mafia? Is it not true that Dalits and BCs were kept in illegal custody and subjected to third-degree torture? Why KCR and KTR are not willing to watch the tears in the eyes of Sircilla victims?" he asked.

Stating that people have never seen such a negligent and arrogant government anywhere or anytime in the past, Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the demand that KTR should resign from his post immediately. He also demanded that the government should extend all assistance to the family of Shankar who was killed by the sand mafia.