Woman tahsildar's driver succumbs to burns

A day after a woman tahsildar was allegedly burnt alive in her office near here, her driver who tried to rescue her, succumbed to injuries on Tuesday (November 5), police said.

Tahsildar Vijaya Reddy, 37, died on the spot after she was allegedly set a fire at her office in Abdullapurmet by K Suresh over some land dispute. Two staff, including Vijaya’s driver, Gurunatham, who came to her rescue too were seriously injured in the incident even as the assailant, who received 60 per cent burns, were all admitted to different hospitals in the city.

“Gurunatham succumbed to his injuries at a hospital while undergoing treatment,” Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat told PTI. The incident happened at around 1.30 pm on Monday when Suresh, a local who came to the Tahsil office on a bike, poured petrol on her and set her on fire using a lighter.

Telangana Police: Gurunatham (in pic), who was injured while trying to save Abdullahpurmet Tehsildar, Vijaya from being set ablaze yesterday, & sustained severe burns during the effort, succumbed to his injuries today. Vijaya had succumbed to her injuries, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/wvrp3a2clA

— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2019

The Commissioner said a scientific investigation was underway and they were probing from all angles to ascertain the exact reason that provoked Suresh to take the extreme step of setting the Tahsildar on fire.

Police were holding inquiry with Suresh’s family members, checking his call records and verifying the land documents. The land was transferred to a tenant and a dispute had arisen over it. A litigation was in the High Court.

Condemning the brutal killing of the Tahsildar, Telangana Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy vowed tobring the culprit to book.

Meanwhile, a large number of Revenue and other government department employees visited the deceased Tahsildar’s house here to pay their last respects. The shocking incident triggered protests by Revenue department employees across Telangana, while political
leaders condemned it.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed deep sorrow over the death of the woman tahsildar.