AP Agri officer blames TDP MLA for suicide

An agriculture officer, who attempted suicide by immolating herself four days ago, succumbed to her burns in a hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday. Rajeswari, posted as the mandal agriculture officer at Devarakadra in Mahbubnagar district, attempted suicide after she was allegedly humiliated by local MLA Seeta Dayakar Reddy of the Telugu Desam Party over distribution of relief to flood victims in a meeting.

She sustained over 60 per cent burns and was rushed to the DRDO-Apollo hospital in Hyderabad for treatment. She succumbed while undergoing treatment today.

Members of Rajeswari's family alleged that Reddy was responsible for their daughter's extreme step. Rajeswari, in her dying declaration recorded by a magistrate, reportedly blamed the MLA and others for the extreme step she had taken.

She also reportedly blamed Congress Mandal Parishad member Bharati Reddy for her death. Small Scale Industries Minister D K Aruna, who hails from Mahbubnagar district, visited the hospital and consoled the victim's parents. Post-mortem was conducted on the officials body at the Osmania Hospital.

State Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy said they would take further action in the case after a copy of Rajeswari's dying declaration was obtained from the magistrate.

"We shall not spare those responsible for the officer's death, however big they may be," Sabita told mediapersons in Hyderabad. Seeta Dayakar Reddy, who has recently been appointed president of Telugu Desam Party's women wing Telugu Mahila, said she was in no way responsible for the agriculture officer's death.

The group rivalry in ruling Congress is responsible for Rajeswari's extreme step, the MLA pointed out. Seeta said officials from various other departments were also present at the meeting and she did not speak anything against Rajeswari.

"I have seen Rajeswari only three times so far and did not interact with her much," the MLA added. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association president Gopal Reddy demanded that the Devarakadra MLA be arrested immediately since the agriculture officer gave a dying declaration against her.

The agriculture officer's association and other government employees have called for a state-wide agitation on Monday demanding that the guilty in Rajeswari's case be brought to books. The NGOs Association is planning a sit-in in front of the state secretariat in Hyderabad on Monday.