Minister for Information Technology, Industries & Commerce D. Sridhar Babu. File
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Proposed high-speed rail corridors connect Hyderabad with three cities. The image is used for representative purposes only.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Family members of Ravi Teja, who was killed in a shooting incident in Washington DC, mourns his death in Hyderabad, on January 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A 26-year-old student from Hyderabad has been shot dead in Washington, United States. The victim, identified as K. Ravi Teja, hailed from R.K. Puram in the Chaitanyapuri. He had travelled to the U.S. in 2022 to pursue a Master’s degree and had recently completed his studies.

Teja reportedly died on the spot. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear and are currently under investigation.

The North American Association of Indian Students addressed the tragedy on X, stating, “Hours before the inauguration, Ravi Teja, a 26-year-old student from Hyderabad, India, was tragically shot and killed in Washington, DC. He moved to the U.S. in 2022 to pursue his MBA. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are currently under investigation.”

The incident has sparked criticism from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), which blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for failing to ensure the safety of Indian students abroad.

In a post on X, the Congress-backed NSUI questioned the Ministry of External Affairs’ silence on the issue, saying, “Why is the Ministry of External Affairs silent? What action has been taken to safeguard Indian students abroad?”

The NSUI further accused the government of neglecting the welfare of Indian students pursuing opportunities overseas.

“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the dreams of Indian students are turning into nightmares. The government’s apathy continues to endanger those who leave their homeland for better education and opportunities. NSUI demands answers and action to protect our students studying abroad!” the organisation wrote.

The Hyderabad Police on Sunday registered a criminal case against actor Daggubati Venkatesh and his family members for allegedly illegally demolishing a hotel last year, despite a pending injunction from a City Civil Court and order to maintain status quo from the Telangana high court.

Besides Daggubati Venkatesh, his brother and producer Daggubati Suresh, Suresh’s son and actor Daggubati Rana and, Rana’s brother and producer Daggubati Abhiram have been charged under sections 448, 452, 458, and 120B – trespass and criminal conspiracy – of the Indian Penal Code, police sources said. 

There was no immediate comment from actor Daggubati Venkatesh or the remaining accused at the time of filing this report. 

The case pertains to the demolition of the Deccan Kitchen Hotel in Film Nagar, allegedly by the actor and his family in January last year. Sources said the property was owned by the Daggubati family, but leased to a man named Nanda Kumar, who is an accused in the alleged poaching of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now known as Bharat Rashtra Samithi) MLAs in 2022.

In November 2022, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) razed a portion of the hotel and adjoining structures constructed by Mr Kumar, alleging that they were unauthorised. 

In July 2023, the High Court sought an explanation from the GHMC officials on the demolition and ordered it to maintain status quo. 

The Daggubati family, however, reportedly completely demolished the structure in January last year, prompting Mr Kumar to approach Nampally Court for violation of court orders. 

In the court, Mr Kumar claimed that he suffered a loss of Rs 20 crore due to the demolition. The court then ordered the police to investigate the matter. 

The court had ordered the police to investigate the matter.

As the proceedings continued on Saturday, the court directed the police to register an FIR against the accused. 

Hyderabad:

Seven Maoists, including a top commander, were killed during an encounter with cops in Telangana’s Mulugu district this morning, a week after two tribal men were killed over suspicion of being police informers. The encounter broke out in Chalpaka forests between the Maoists and the elite anti-Maoist Greyhounds force around 5:30 am, said police. The Greyhounds had spotted the Maoist group during combing operations and ordered them to surrender. They, however, fired at the commandos, forcing the cops to fire back in return.

Bhadru alias Kursam Mangu alias Papanna, 35, Yellandu-Narsampet area committee commander of the CPI (Maoist) and a member of its Telangana State Committee, was among those killed.

Six other Maoists killed in the encounter were identified as Egolapu Mallaiah, 43, Mussaki Deval, 22, Mussaki Jamuna, 23, Jai Singh, 25, Kishore, 22, and Kamesh 23, who were being led by Bhadru.

They were armed with AK-47, G3 and INSAS rifles besides other weapons and explosives, which have been seized by the cops.

This is the first major Maoist encounter in recent years in Mulugu amid attempts to reorganize and revive their activities in the region. It follows the murder of two tribal men in Mulugu on November 21 by the Maoists over suspicion that they were police informers.

The two men were later identified as Uika Ramesh, the secretary of Peruru Gram Panchayat, and Uika Arjun. The Maoists had left a note with their bodies claiming that they were collecting information and passing it on to a state intelligence agency.

Hyderabad:

At least 30 students at a government school in Telangana’s Narayanpet district fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal that allegedly contained worms, on Wednesday, officials said.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ordered a thorough probe into the incident that occurred at Maganoor Zilla Parishad Government High School and sought a detailed report. The district officials said the condition of most of the students is stable.

According to reports, the students complained of stomach ache and vomiting after consuming the food that was served as part of the mid-day meal at school. They were rushed to a local hospital by the school staff and teachers for treatment.

The parents of a few students alleged there were worms in the food that was served.

“We were served upma and we ate it. Later, we were told that there were worms in the food and they (authorities) threw it away,” one of the students said.

The district medical and health officer said barring four children, all of them are stable.

Chief Minister Reddy inquired about the health condition of the students who fell ill and instructed officials to provide better treatment.

Mr Reddy also ordered an investigation and directed the Narayanpet district collector to take strict action, including immediate suspension of those found negligent in their duty. He further warned against repetition of such incidents and alerted all district collectors.

Mr Reddy said the state government will not compromise in providing nutritious food to the students.

Hyderabad:

A horrific case of animal cruelty has come to light from Telangana, where a group of three men trap and mercilessly thrash four street dogs with sticks, killing three of the canines, one of whom was pregnant.

A video of the incident, which took place in Jawaharnagar city in Medchal-Malkajgiri district on Tuesday, has gone viral and sparked outrage among animal rights activists. Officials said the reason behind the attack on the canines is not yet clear.

In the video, the dogs are seen trapped inside a net and brutally beaten up by the men as several passersby look on. While three of the canines died on the spot, the fourth sustained severe injuries and was left on the road with an eye popping out. The injured dog is currently undergoing treatment.

Several animal activists have approached the police over the brutal attack but no case has been registered and no action has been taken against the culprits as of Wednesday evening.

The incident came amid a series of street dog attacks in several parts of the state, which prompted the Telangana High Court to step in and seek an action plan from the state government in July on the steps being taken to prevent such incidents.

In August, a four-year-old boy died after he was bitten by a street dog at Raipole village in Rangareddy. In a separate incident that month, an elderly woman was killed by a pack of street dogs, which then ate parts of her body, in Rajanna Sircilla district.

New Delhi:
At least 10 more people were killed as heavy rain battered Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day on Sunday, causing flooding and waterlogging in several areas, and disrupting road and rail traffic.

Here Are Top Points On Andhra, Telangana Rain Fury:

Hyderabad:

A conductor of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, who allegedly misbehaved with a woman passenger while she was travelling in a bus here, has been taken into custody, police said on Wednesday.

Based on a complaint filed by the woman, a case was registered against the conductor at Raidurgam police station on Tuesday, they said, adding he was subsequently taken into custody.

The woman alleged that the conductor had touched her inappropriately while she was travelling in the bus here on Monday.

The passenger, in a post on a social media platform had narrated the incident and also posted a video of the conductor who allegedly misbehaved with her.

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation management had also ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad:

Thirteen people were arrested a day after members of two communities clashed in Medak town of Telangana over alleged transportation of cows for slaughter ahead of Bakrid festival. The situation has been brought under control and remains peaceful, police said on Sunday.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC was clamped by authorities after clashes broke out in the town on Saturday night. Stones were pelted and public property was damaged following which police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the rioters.

Some shops and business establishments were vandalised and a hospital was also attacked where some injured people were undergoing treatment, they said.

At least seven people belonging to both the communities were injured during the clashes, police said adding additional personnel were deployed and the situation was brought under control in the town. Cases were booked in connection with the clashes and as many as 13 people from both the communities were so far arrested and more arrests will be made, a senior police official supervising the law and order situation told PTI.

He said prohibitory orders under section 144 of of CrPC (banning assembly of more than five people was ordered to control the situation), were ordered to prevent untoward incidents since last night. A peace committee meeting was held, he said.

According to police, trouble began when a group of cow vigilantes claimed that cattle were transported to a Madrassa in Medak. When the police arrived at the spot they found the cattle, including oxen, “unfit” for slaughter and moved them to a animal shelter.

Later, the police dispersed the members of the group from the spot.

Subsequently, the group reached the outskirts of Medak after being tipped about alleged transportation of cows which led to a physical altercation between them and members of another community.

The members of the group later held a protest near a police station in Medak.

Reacting to the incident, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao in a post on ‘X’ said: “Telangana was peaceful sans any communal violence for the last 9.5 years with KCR Garu at the helm of affairs. And now in the Congress Government, neither is there any Law nor any Order. Truly shameful that even a peaceful town Medak which never had any communal activity in the past has now become a mess”.

Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh in a post on ‘X’ said : “When Gau Rakshaks, @BJP4Telangana Karyakartas stopped anti-social elements from transporting cows for slaughter in Medak, they were attacked with knives. Visited the injured at the hospital, inquired about their condition, and asked the police to take immediate action against the attackers”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)