In an incident likely to further add fuel to the controversy over the acquisition of land for the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh, unknown miscreants set the standing crop in two villages of Guntur district afire.
The incident occurred on Sunday night in an area where the farmers were refusing to part with their lands for 'land pooling' to build the new capital. The crops were set on fire in Tadepally and Tullur village near Guntur city.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his deep shock and unhappiness over the incidents and directed the district officials to take stringent action against the culprits.
According to the preliminary estimates, crop worth `25 lakh was burnt in Tadepally and `12 lakh in Tullur. However, nobody was injured in the fire. "There could be a conspiracy behind this incident", AP Director General of Police JV Ramudu told the media. "We are investigating the case from all possible angles". Police were questioning the residents of six villages.
The incident has triggered a war of word between the ruling Telugu Desam Party and main Opposition YSR Congress Party. Minister P Pulla Rao blamed the YSR Congress for the incident and said that it was trying to bring the faction violence of Kadapa to Andhra Pradesh.
YSR Congress retaliated by holding AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu responsible for the incident saying the Government was trying to threaten the villagers refusing to pool their lands.