Mahabubabad (Warangal): Tension prevailed for some time at Mahabubabad Signal Colony area after the revenue and police officials removed the huts on government land on Saturday.As many as 600 temporary huts were built by landless poor under the aegis of Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) in about four acres of land. The leaders of the MRPS and occupants entered into heated arguments with the police and revenue officials.

The local tehsildar S Mallaiah and a group of revenue staff, accompanied by Mahabubabad town circle inspector Nandiram Naik and the rural inspector Malla Reddy along with 70 police constables started clearing the land at 6 am. The operation continued till noon. Thereafter, the agitating MRPS workers obstructed the dismantling of huts.

However, the police personnel who were deployed in large numbers pushed the agitators away and razed the huts and set them on fire. In order to prevent any untoward incident, fire fighters were also deployed.  MRPS mandal unit leader G Peeraiah while speaking to media persons expressed serious objection over the removal of huts.

The government which was turning blind eye towards encroachment of government lands by influential persons was acting tough on landless poor, he alleged. No case was booked and no one was arrested this connection. A similar incident occurred on March 19 in which the officials tried to remove the huts built on survey numbers 551, 281 and 282 in the town. The MRPS activists have been raising huts on the government lands for the past three months, prompting the officials to remove them.

• Police who were deployed in large numbers pushed the  agitators away and razed the huts and set them on fire

• MRPS leaders and occupants of huts enter into heated arguments with the police and revenue officials