Four held on charges of blowing up surplus weir of irrigation tank in Chennur

Main accused says they blasted the weir to prevent inundation of some houses in the low-lying area of the tank during monsoon

The Chennur police on Friday arrested four persons, including the local BRS councillor’s husband, for allegedly blowing up the surplus weir of Shanigakunta irrigation tank using explosives on September 16.

The police identified the arrested as Pendyala Laxminarayana (40), husband of Ward 11 councillor Swarnalatha; Bheem Madhukar (35); Rasamalla Srinivas (43), all residents of Chennur; and Gogula Dhanaiah (55) of Mancherial town.

According to the police, the main accused confessed to have blasted the surplus weir to prevent the recurring inundation of some houses in the low-lying area of the tank during the monsoon.

The police also seized a tractor; a compressor drill machine; four gellatin sticks; and 30 metres of wire from the arrested.

A case has been registered against them under Section 326 (f) of the BNS, Section 3 of the PDPP Act and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Further investigation is under way.

The natural flow of the surplus water from the tank had been obstructed owing to the construction of a CC road without culverts, connecting Mahankaliwada with the town stretch of National Highway-63, according to sources.

The sources added that some realtors had allegedly made a vain bid to encroach upon a portion of land in the Full Tank Level of Shanigakunta in the past.

Published - September 20, 2024 07:52 pm IST