Narasaraopet (Andhra Pradesh): An aide of the YSRCP-backed sarpanch allegedly killed a 50-year-old tribal woman by driving his tractor over her when she had come to fetch water from a tank arranged by the party in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district on Friday.
According to eye witnesses, the accused had refused to provide water to the woman saying she was a TDP supporter and killed her following a verbal altercation. However, police termed it as an accident caused due to the driver's efficiency. The deceased, Banawat Samuniboy (50) succumbed to her injuries on way to the hospital.
The incident took place in Mallavaram village in Rentachintala mandal of Palnadu in Macharla constituency. It has been learnt that the Mallavaram village is reeling under drinking water scarcity for a week and the YSRCP-backed village sarpanch, Sheikh Nanne Saheb is supplying water with a tractor since the last four days.
At 8 am yesterday, a tractor with the tank arrived at the village and all the women queued up with buckets to fetch water. While the water distribution process was on, the accused tractor driver, Manikantha Naik, the sarpanch's aide questioned a woman standing in the queue why she had come to fetch water from his party's tractor when she was a supporter of the rival party.
Responding to this, Banawat Samuniboy asked what drinking water has to do with political allegiance and it was inhumane to refuse water to anyone. This angered the driver and he drove the tractor thrice on the woman. The front bumper of the tractor hit the woman on the stomach and she could not escape as there was a wall behind her. The woman suffered severe injuries and the locals tried to take her to the Macherla Government Hospital but she died during the journey.
The victim is survived by a physically challenged husband, two sons and a daughter. All her children are married. She worked as a agricultural labourer. Her relatives have demanded action against the accused tractor driver.
Police dismissed the allegations of the driver purposely running the tractor over the woman. "A motor is installed in the tank and there is a switchboard to control the flow of water. While the driver was changing the switch, the tractor suddenly started rolling and hit the woman. The man is not an expert driver and the incident seems to have happened by accident. The case is being investigated," SSI Narayana Reddy said.
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