Renuka storms police station over land dispute

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Renuka Choudhary stormed a police station in Hyderabad along with 200 supporters as her battle with two builders took a murky turn.

The bone of contention is a prime plot of land, measuring 5,000 square yards, in the posh Somajiguda locality, near Raj Bhavan. The minister claimed the land, belonging to her family, has been grabbed by the builders -- Gowrishankar Gupta and Jaffer Nawab.

As allegations and counter-allegations vitiated the atmosphere, the builders said the minister's security guards trespassed on their land and misbehaved with them. Similar charges were levelled against three of Choudhary's supporters who were arrested by the police.

In turn, a case was slapped against the builders for ''threatening a woman security guard of the minister'' even as Choudhary virtually laid siege to the Punjagutta police station at the weekend.

As her action created ripples in the administration, Choudhary refused to leave the police station till the three arrested Telugu Desam workers were released. However, she left the police station after Assistant Commissioner of Police Srinivas assured that necessary action would be taken.

According to a senior police official, the land has been under litigation for several years now. If so, what triggered the unsavoury incident? According to the police, action had to be taken when the minister's supporters alleged visited Jaffer Nawab's residence, threatening him with dire consequences.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu said he would inquire into the case. ''I will find out the facts and take necessary action,'' he told the media.

''It is shocking that a central minister behaves in such a high-handed manner,'' one Telugu Desam leader said.