- BRS candidate husband alleges kidnapping linked to Congress rivals
- Nalgonda abduction claim says threats were made to stop nomination
Hyderabad: The husband of a BRS Sarpanch candidate from Ellammagudem village in Tipparthi mandal was allegedly kidnapped and tortured in Nalgonda ahead of the local body elections. The victim, identified as Yadagiri, is the husband of candidate Mamidi Nagalakshmi. He said a group linked to the ruling Congress party abducted him on Saturday morning. The incident has sparked tension in the area, and leaders from the BRS have condemned the attack.
According to the input, Yadagiri said the men who took him acted on the instructions of Congress sarpanch candidate Utkuru Sandeep Reddy. He also said Sandeep Reddy is accused in the murder case of former sarpanch Vijay Reddy’s husband. He claimed the candidate has been threatening rivals to secure the sarpanch post. Therefore, the family believes the kidnapping was an attempt to stop Nagalakshmi from filing her nomination.
Meanwhile, Yadagiri informed the police that he was forcibly taken in a vehicle and threatened with knives. He said the men took him around several villages throughout the day to prevent him from returning home. He alleged that they tortured him and warned him of dire consequences. He also said they demanded that he stop his wife from filing her papers or face death. Later, he claimed that during the ordeal one of the kidnappers spoke to a person identified as Bolla Venkata Reddy over the phone.
The abductors allegedly released him late Saturday night after protests and pressure from senior BRS leaders. Former MLAs Nallamothu Bhaskar Rao, Saidi Reddy Bhupal Reddy, and Ravindra Kumar accompanied him to Tipparthi police station, where they filed a formal complaint. However, Yadagiri said that even at the police station some individuals threatened him and tried to force him to sign a statement downplaying the incident.
BRS leaders have condemned the episode and called it a “brazen attack on democracy.” They said the ruling Congress party is trying to intimidate opposition candidates and secure posts without a contest. The incident has added heat to the local elections, and further action now depends on the police investigation.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates
