Land row: An independent Councilor hacked to death in broad daylight in Mahabubabad

Mahabubabad: An independent councillor of the local municipality was axed to death in broad daylight at Pattipaka road here on Thursday sending a chill down the spines of many people. The deceased person was Banoth Ravi Naik (34), who got elected from the eighth ward of the municipality. The incident occurred around noon when Ravi was returning home on a bike after attending some work.

The assailants had reportedly rammed his two-wheeler with a tractor from the rear side in an attempt to throw him off the vehicle. Later, three others, who followed the tractor in a car behind, jumped out of the vehicle and attacked him with axes indiscriminately before fleeing from the scene. Noticing this, some passersby had informed the police who rushed to the spot and shifted him to the local government area where he succumbed to the injuries soon after his admission.

It is suspected that Ravi was murdered for his active involvement in the fight for the justice to the land oustees of the government medical college sanctioned to the district. He staged dharnas and other protests with the victims in the town and even approached the High Court on the issue. The court had even issued a stay order in the land acquisition, sources said.

Four people were allegedly involved



in this brutal incident that caused a sensation in the town. Ravi had been associated with the TRS party and local MLA Banoth Shankar Naik and Mahabuabad district TRS president and MP Maloth Kavitha have visited the hospital and consoled the members of the bereaved family.

Speaking to the media, they said that the killers would not be spared irrespective of their positions or status in the society. They asked the police to conduct a detailed probe into the incident and ensure arrest of the accused at the earliest. Ravi is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Meanwhile, sources said that the accused had already surrendered to the police. But the police have not made any statement on the surrender.

However, Superintendent of Police Sharath Chandra Pawar had denied the allegations of political involvement in the murder case. “We have already identified two accused. As per the preliminary inquiry, personal and old rivarly related to some business transactions between the accused and the deceased led to the incident. Let me make it clear that there was no political angle in this case,” he said. He also said that four teams had been formed under the supervision of ASP Yogesh Gautham and hoped that the accused would be arrested soon.