Two men from the Erragadda Thanda village in Telangana’s Surapet district were killed on Saturday following a clash over a neem tree. The dispute, which occurred in the morning, allegedly led to a heated argument involving multiple members of the village.
According to reports, the dispute over the tree occurred between neighbours, 58-year-old Bukya Saida and 62-year-old Venkateswarlu. The neem tree, which sits on the boundary of both houses, has allegedly been a source of contention between both the families for the past 25 years.
On Saturday morning, Venkateswarlu gathered labourers and attempted to cut the tree’s branches. Bukhya Saida’s son Ramu reportedly noticed this and tried to stop him, leading to a confrontation between both sides. The argument escalated, with both groups using weapons. Ramu allegedly attacked Venkateshwarlu with an axe and killed him on the spot.
Subsequently, Venkateswarlu’s enraged family members and some locals allegedly attacked Ramu and Saida. During the confrontation, Saida reportedly attempted to cover up for his son. However, Ramu, who was allegedly provoked, also attacked his father with the axe. Local witnesses claim that Ramu attacked his father to frame Venkateshwarlu’s murder as an accident that occurred during the attacks.
He later fled the scene and hid inside a house. When Saida’s family members attempted to take him to the hospital, they were allegedly stopped by locals who demanded that Ramu be handed over to them first. Local media reports indicate that villagers also pelted stones at Ramu’s house.
The police arrived at the spot after receiving information about the incident and attempted to disperse the crowd. Ramu was taken into custody. However, in the process of shifting Ramu to the police station, some locals attacked the police with stones. Mella Cheruvu SI Naveen Kumar sustained a severe head injury in the incident.
The injured, including SI Naveen, are undergoing treatment in the hospital. The bodies of Saida and Venkateswarlu have been sent for post-mortem examination. Extra police personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent further tension.
