Anganwadi teacher run over and killed by tractor in AP, YSRCP leader accused

Police said that the accused had a political rivalry with the victim's husband and there was also some property dispute between them.

Prakasam (Andhra Pradesh): A 50-year-old woman was killed allegedly by a local Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader, who had run over a tractor on her in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district on Monday. The victim's daughter, too was allegedly beaten up by the accused and his relatives when she tried to save her mother. The woman died on the spot and an investigation has been initiated in this connection, police said.

According to the police, the victim, named Hanumayamma worked as an anganwadi teacher. The incident took place after she returned home last afternoon in Ravivaripalem in Tanguturu mandal of Prakasam district. Preliminary investigations have revealed that political rivalry and property related dispute may have led to the murder, police sources said.

The victim's husband, Savalam Sudhakar from Raviwaripaleni of Tanguturu mandal is the mandal president of the Scheduled Caste cell of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Locals said Sudhakar's rising popularity among people did not do well with the accused, Savalam Kondalarao. Sudhakar and the victim's daughter Madhuri alleged that two days back, Kondalarao had threatened that he would not sleep till he killed the couple.

On Monday, the YSRCP constituency officer Ashok Babu had given a call for protest at the house of TDP MLA Dola Veeranjaneya Swamy yesterday morning. To prevent this, Sudhakar and other TDP leaders went to the MLA's house. Hanumayamma left for the anganwadi likewise other days.

In the afternoon after returning home, she stood on the roadside in front of her house and asked her daughter for a glass of water. Madhuri handed over the glass and went inside leaving Hanumayamma drinking water. The accused, Kondalarao, who was already waiting outside the house with a tractor for Hanumayamma suddenly approached from behind and hit her, police said. Suspecting that she was alive, he took the tractor backwards and crushed Hanumayamma under the wheels leaving Hanumayamma dead, police added.

Madhuri, who was inside the house witnessed the incident and started screaming while attempting to chase away the tractor. Kondalarao's relatives, Mahesh, Ramanamma and Adilakshamma, who were there, stopped her and allegedly beat her up, police said. The entrance of Hanumayamma's house was destroyed after being hit by the tractor.

Ongole DSP Narayanaswamy Reddy reached the spot after getting information about the incident. Police said a case has been registered and the matter is being probed.