SHOW OF STRENGTH: Residents of Peerlamanyam in Ongole staging a rasta roko on Tuesday. — Photo: Sreenivas Kommuri

ONGOLE : Some 250 families living on Wakf Board land in Peerlamanyam near the milk factory here staged a rasta roko on Kurnool road to protest against attempts to evict them.

They alleged some nine persons living in the colony collected their signatures some months ago saying they would provide them sanitary latrines but used them to transfer the lease in their favour. They demanded an inquiry into the issue and thwart the attempts to evict them.

The families have been living on the land for the last 10-15 years constructing houses after obtaining lease pattas. They took the issue to the notice of Santhanuthalapadu MLA, Dara Sambaiah two months ago and he assured them that there is no proposal to evict them.

Panic gripped the colony as a representative of the Wakf Board came to inquire whether they had given their consent for transferring the lease agreement. The agitated people mobilised their strength and staged a rasta roko on Kurnool road holding up traffic for two hours. They blamed Mr. Sambaiah for giving tacit support to some persons to grab the land from them. Police intervened and dispersed the crowdsaying that they should approach the Collector for an amicable settlement.

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