TRS Leader Caught on Cam Thrashing Forest Official in Telangana Gets Back Position in Zilla Parishad

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader Koneru Krishna, who was accused of leading a mob attack on a female forest range officer in June, was sworn in as the Vice-Chairperson of Zilla Parishad on Tuesday three months after the incident.

Speaking on the occasion, Krishna Rao thanked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and all for giving him the opportunity.

In a ghastly incident, C Anitha, a Forest Range Officer was attacked in Sarasala of Kagaznagar in Telangana's Asifabad district by a mob led by Koneru Krishna Rao .The official was hit with sticks repeatedly and sustained injuries to her head. Anitha and a few other officers were in Sarsala village to plant saplings as part of the government’s plantation drive. The mob, however, accused the forest department of encroaching their lands and thrashed them.

The TRS leader is also the brother of Koneru Konappa, the state’s ruling party's MLA from Sirpur Kagaznagar block of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. Krishna's quick and uninterrupted comeback has raised questions over the chief minister’s seriousness in handling the case.

After the incident, a case was registered against 14 people, including Krishna, under Sections 353, 332, 307, 147, 148, 147 and 507 of the Indian Penal Code. Krishna had also tendered his resignation to the Zilla Parishad office.

Anitha, who had to be hospitalized, said there was no communication from the Chief Minister on the matter and had accused Krishna to have led the attack. Simultaneously, in the case, despite getting attacked in the line of duty, she was booked under SC/ST atrocity and abetment of suicide based on a complaint filed by the supporters of the MLA and his brother Krishna.

Hours after the incident sparked a row, a video had surfaced on social media in which Koneru Krishna was seen as a part of the mob. At that time, minister KT Rama Rao had condemned the attack and said, “no one is above the law.”

In a recent budget session, KCR while talking about the attack praised Krishna and said he is a ‘good human being’ who was only trying to rescue the girijans in the area. He had also suggested that a ‘praja darbar’ should be conducted to know the truth behind the incident.

“A few unfortunate incidents did take place. I told the forest authority that Kazagnagar MLA's brother is a good person. He won the ZPTC election with a huge majority. Moreover, he stood for tribal rights, but there are now cases booked against him.” KCR had said in the Assembly in September.