Telangana forest officer assaulted: ‘MLA, brothers have history of assaulting government officials’

The brothers, Konappa (63) and Krishna (56) were earlier into agriculture at Kagaznagar, but allegedly made money by getting involved in land dispute settlements and small real-estate ventures.

Forest Range Office C Anita tried to escape by climbing on to a tractor, but Krishna Rao followed her and brutally assaulted her with a stick, hitting her several times on the head.

TRS MLA Koneru Konappa Rao and his brother Krishna Rao have a history of assaulting government officials, especially women officers, according to police sources.

In March 2018, Excise Department officials in Kagaznagar-Sirpur staged a demonstration after Konappa allegedly abused a woman Excise Circle Inspector for confiscating a truck carrying jaggery prepared at an illegal manufacturing unit. The Excise Officers’ Association had lodged a complaint with Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao against Konappa but no action was taken.

READ | Telangana woman forest officer assaulted during plantation drive, TRS MLA’s brother held

The brothers, Konappa (63) and Krishna (56) were earlier into agriculture at Kagaznagar, but allegedly made money by getting involved in land dispute settlements and small real-estate ventures. According to sources, the brothers are known to violently confront authorities — police, forest department, excise, prohibition and municipal authorities.

In 2004, Konappa was elected MLA from Sirpur in Asifabad district on a Congress ticket. Thereafter, Krishna allegedly got involved in land grabbing and encroachment. “Using his brother’s status as MLA, he started providing protection to people who grabbed or encroached land from private owners or government by violently confronting authorities. This made them popular in the area. Krishna is Konappa’s enforcer. Konappa would give the orders and Krishna would go with his gang and enforce them. They enforced settlements running into crores,’’ a police officer said.

TRS MLA Koneru Konappa’s brother assaults woman forest officer at a village in Telangana. Forest Range Officer C Anita went to Sarasala village in Sirpur Mandal to take part in a plantation drive. pic.twitter.com/jE5GitgZRj

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 30, 2019

In the 2009 elections, Konappa lost to TRS candidate K Samaiah. Ahead of the 2014 elections, Konappa switched to BSP and defeated the TRS candidate in the polls. “After Konappa became MLA for the second time, Krishna allegedly started threatening landowners to vacate their land so that he and his coterie could occupy,’’ an official said. After TRS came to power in the new state, Konappa joined TRS which gave more power to Krishna, said sources.

In 2018, Konappa again won on a TRS ticket. Thereafter, he ensured Krishna’s official entry into politics by getting him elected in the Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies polls; Krishna was named vice-chairman of the Kagaznagar ZPTC.

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