Andhra Farmer Protests Against Revenue Officials for Grabbing His 3.5 acres of Land

Ramaiah has been protesting for four days against Revenue Officials who took over his 3.5 acres of land, which the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) purchased in 2016 for the upcoming National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes, and Narcotics (NACIN) building.

Ramaiah refused to sell the land, claiming that the APIIC's Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package was insufficient to run his house.

The issue gained prominence on Tuesday when Revenue officials removed the barbed-wire fencing installed by Ramaiah Yadav. Despite his protests, officials removed the CCTV cameras and sheds he had installed the next day.

After his family members, others who had parted with their lands for the acquisition, and Yadava community leaders joined him, they staged a sit-in in front of the NACIN temporary building here on Thursday.

Adinarayana, the president of Mudigubba Mandal Praja Parishad, took the issue to the District Collector on Friday, who agreed to meet with Ramaiah on Monday.

Meanwhile, amid protests, Revenue Department and NACIN officials removed the kiosk and shed Ramaiah had erected on the disputed land on Saturday. They also forbade Ramaiah and his supporters from entering the property.

His daughter was injured during the protest and was taken to the hospital. As a form of protest, the family has tied its cattle to the roadside.

On Saturday, District Collector P. Basant Kumar responded to the issue, saying, "Approximately 500 acres of land have been handed over to the institution. Now, one person is delaying the project by growing crops, erecting fencing, and constructing a shed, among other things. He has compelled everyone to act quickly."

According to the Collector, Ramaiah refused to accept the compensation amount set in 2016. He stated that the same sum had been deposited with APIIC.

"There is no court order preventing the takeover of the land. Everyone had been waiting for so long, and his sudden fencing in the area was the final straw for the NACIN authorities. There is no way out of this," Kumar added.