Hyderabad: IAS officer who took on TRS MLA over land grab, transferred

For over eight months, Sri Devasena stood up to threats, insults and abuses by MLA Yadagiri Reddy, who had allegedly encroached upon 2000-sq yards of land around the Dharmoni Kunta lake and was trying to grab five mores acres surrounding the lake. Sri Devasena, who was transferred to Pedapalli district, refused to talk on the matter Tuesday.

On September 26 last year, Sri Devasena, a 2008-batch IAS officer, cancelled the registration of the 2000-sq yards in the MLA’s name, which he had got levelled, saying it was meant to construct a temple. He also constructed a mud wall around five acres near the lake and started levelling it too, saying it was to beautify and develop the lake’s surroundings.

Citing Supreme Court guidelines that catchment and drainage areas around water bodies should be free of obstruction, Sri Devasena cancelled the registration and stopped construction on the five acres.

Muttireddy Yadagiri Reddy Thursday denied all allegations against him. “I don’t know what she had against me, but she levelled all kinds of accusations. I am not a land grabber. I did not encroach any lake land. The levelling was being done to beautify the lake, not encroach it,’’ he said.