A few structures in the premises of two colleges, run by opposition BRS MLA Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, on the outskirts of Hyderabad were demolished by authorities on Thursday.
Two permanent buildings and six temporary sheds in the Aeronautical College and the MLRITM College at Dundigal were demolished, as they were allegedly built illegally on the land of a lake.
These institutions are run by Malkajgiri MLA Rajasekhar Reddy, the son-in-law of former minister and MLA Malla Reddy.
Irrigation and Revenue Department officials had identified that the structures were built by encroaching 8.24 acres of land in the full tank level (FTL) buffer zone of Chinna Damara Cheruvu.
Officials said that the management of these colleges was issued notice.
On the direction of Medchal-Malkajgiri District Collector Gautam, a team from the Irrigation and Revenue Departments, with the help of police, undertook the demolition.
Some students and college employees reached the site and tried to stop the demolition, leading to mild tension. However, the authorities continued their drive.
Thursday’s demolition came four days after revenue officials from the Medchal-Malkajgiri district demolished a road constructed to serve the Malla Reddy Engineering College in Kamla Nagar of Gundla Pochampally municipality. Authorities alleged that Malla Reddy had illegally encroached on around 2,500 square yards of land in the HMDA layout and laid the road.
When Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was the MP of Malkajgiri, he lodged a complaint regarding the road laid by Malla Reddy for the engineering college. However, no action was taken at that time.
With the recent change in government and Revanth Reddy assuming the role of Chief Minister, the issue resurfaced.
Malla Reddy and his family run a chain of educational institutions and hospitals. The former minister faces allegations of land encroachment but he has denied the charges.