Farmers protest unpaid compensation at Hakimpet grama sabha

Tension erupted at the grama sabha in Hakimpet, Vikarabad, on Saturday as farmers accused police of harassment and demanded pending compensation for land acquired for projects. The meeting, held in Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's Kodangal constituency, was conducted under heavy police deployment.

A farmer questioned why his compensation was still unpaid, his younger brother joined in alleging they were being bullied. Police personnel dragged both out of the venue. Villagers also expressed anger over meagre compensation offered to a hut-dwelling family, accusing officials of delaying with vague assurances. A contractor whose bill for building the gram panchayat office remained unpaid for six months also sparked a commotion.

Former MLA Patnam Narender Reddy approached the District Collector with evidence alleging a massive scam in the Multipurpose Industrial Park project in the Chief Minister's constituency. He claimed Congress leaders misappropriated government land and siphoned compensation money, and that landless families were offered crores in the name of compensation. "We will approach the courts if irregularities are not thoroughly investigated," he said.