TD blames YSRC leaders for suicide of Karunakar

By Our Special Correspondent

TD Politburo member Somireddy Chandra Mohan asked Nellore Collector Chakradhar Babu to support the family of Duggirala Karunakar who committed suicide on Saturday due to harassment by YSRCP leaders.

Karunakar of Musunuru SC Colony in Kavali town has parents, wife and two daughters, Somireddy said in a letter to the collector.

But for the last two years, local YSRC leaders Ketireddy Jagadish and Suresh Reddy of Kavali have been blocking Karunakar's efforts to fish, said Somireddy.

"Karunakar, accompanied by his mother, took the issue to the notice of YSR Congress leaders and asked them to "allow him to catch fish from the tanks, increasing their size and the interest on the loans he had taken."

“YSRC leaders ignored his pleas, harassed him and insulted him in the name of his caste. They did not sympathize with him even when he said that he had mortgaged his house to take a loan,'' said Chandra Mohan, quoting Karunakar's suicide note written to the Nellore SP.

Somireddy appealed to the collector to give permission to the family to fish in the tanks leased by Karunakar and to ensure that the family does not face any trouble from the YSRCP leaders. The Collector was asked to please direct the police, revenue and fisheries officials to support the family.

Referring to the government's recent assistance to the family of Udayagiri Narayana, who attempted suicide under the National SC ST Act, Somireddy sought similar assistance to Karunakar's family.

The TTD leader demanded compensation of Rs 8.24 lakh to Karunakar's family, a government job and pension along with a house, land for cultivation and education of Karunakar's children.

Meanwhile, YSR Congress leader and Kavali Agriculture Marketing Committee Chairman Mannemala Sukumar dismissed the allegations of TDP leaders. He said that YSRC leaders had nothing to do with Karunakar's suicide and he ended his life due to intense pressure from individuals/organizations in Bitragunta and Kapparallathippa to pay off loans.

Sukumar and Kavali MLA Pratap Kumar Reddy consoled Karunakar's family on Sunday. TDP leaders said that YSRCP leaders were responsible for the suicide.

“Karunakar earns his livelihood by fishing and he leased two tanks from Lakshmipuram Matsyakara Sangam in Annagaripalem panchayat three years ago for fish farming. For this he took loans from the debtors and paid interest. The entire family spends day and night at the tanks to take care of the fish," the letter to the collector said.