Youth Congress leader commits self-immolation over statue issue

The death of Nageswara Rao, chief of the Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Mithra Mandali, for Konaseema region, coincided with the ninth death anniversary of Ranga, Congress MLA from Vijayawada who was murdered. Nageswararao spearheaded the Kapunadu movement in the past.

Last night, the minister refused to intervene in the dispute over handing over Ranga’s statue which was removed during the road widening programme and shifted to the municipal office.

The police have registered the case under Section 174 CrPC as suspicious death and started investigation, in view of the charges by Congress that it was a case of murder with the knowledge of the minister, according to the First Information Report registered by the police, basing on the complaint by one of the policemen on guard duty at the minister’s house.

Around 11 pm, the Youth Congress leader called on the minister and tried to represent something. But the minister shouted at him. He asked Rao to see him in the morning. Nageswara Rao left hurriedly to return to the minister’s house within half-an-hour with a petrol tin. He tried to meet the minister but was prevented by the sentry who said the minister was asleep. Then he doused himself in petrol and set fire to himself.

But the official version is being contradicted by the Congress leaders who allege that the minister with the help of his gunmen beat him to death and later burnt the body with petrol to conceal the crime.

Nageswara Rao had announced his decision to go on fast from today if the authorities failed to release the statue for installation on his death anniversary. On the previous day, he tried to take out the statue from the municipal office.

According to some his associates who were with him till 11 pm, he was cheerful and in high spirits and showed no inclination to commit suicide. They also suspect foul play by the minister.

It is gathered that Nageswara Rao insisted the minister get the statue released so that Ranga’s death anniversary could be observed on a large scale. When the minister expressed his helplessness, he provoked the minister by blaming him using filthy language and the minister lost his temper and gave him two blows.

Unable to bear the insult in the presence of womenfolk, Nageswara Rao killed himself. The sentry who stopped him did not make any attempt to extinguish the flames but rushed to the minister’s bedroom to inform him about the incident.

MINISTER’S DENIAL: Metla Satyanarayana, the minister, attended the TDP training classes instead of staying back at his house today. However, before going to the party training camp, he visited the hospital where the body was lying awaiting postmortem. He had to face hostile crowds at the hospital. Some shouted slogans. But the Congress leaders present pacified them and prevented an unpleasant situation.