In a shocking act of agricultural sabotage, more than 100 acres of paddy seedlings in a Telangana village have been deliberately destroyed, allegedly by a disgruntled election candidate. The incident has left farmers in Medak district devastated during the crucial sowing season.
Unprecedented Vandalism in Pochamryal Village
The targeted attack occurred in Pochamryal village, Haveli Ghanpur mandal of Medak district. Miscreants sprayed a powerful weedicide over paddy seedlings, rendering the agricultural land completely unfit for sowing this season. District revenue officer V Bhujanga Rao confirmed this was the first instance of such agricultural vandalism he had encountered in his career.
In total, seedlings prepared for 106 acres were ruined. The scale of the destruction has caused immense distress to the farming community, whose livelihoods depend on the timely cultivation of their crop.
Election Resentment Suspected as Motive
Villagers have pointed fingers at a specific individual, alleging the destruction was an act of revenge following the recent local body elections. They suspect a sarpanch candidate who lost the polls, claiming he acted out of resentment over his defeat.
Approximately 30 villagers formally approached officials with a complaint naming the suspect. While officials noted past instances of defeated candidates demanding the return of money or goods, they emphasized that this was the first reported case of election-related vandalism targeting agricultural land directly.
Investigation Launched, Accused Denies Allegations
The district administration has roped in the police and the agriculture department to establish the facts of the case. Authorities are working to determine the exact chemical used and the full extent of the damage.
On Friday, the accused individual met with officials to assert his innocence, strongly denying all allegations against him. The investigation is ongoing to uncover the truth behind this malicious act.
Efforts to provide immediate relief to farmers have hit a roadblock. When officials advised villagers to explore buying paddy seedlings from other sources, they were told that no one had a stock available, as all seedlings had been used for personal agricultural purposes. This has compounded the crisis for the affected farmers.
The villagers of Pochamryal are now urging authorities to take strict and swift action against those responsible for this brazen attack on their means of survival. The case highlights a dangerous new low in post-election retaliation, shifting from political disputes to the destruction of essential food sources.
