Former sarpanch dies by suicide over unpaid government dues, JAC blames Telangana govt
HYDERABAD: A former village Sarpanch in Siddipet district died by suicide after years of financial ruin allegedly caused by unpaid government dues. His death sparked outrage across Telangana and renewed demands for accountability from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his cabinet.
Going further into details, Pittala Sampath, the former Sarpanch of Mahammadapur village in Husnabad Mandal, Siddipet district, was found dead after hanging himself from a tree. Earlier, during his tenure, he took on large debts to fund village development projects. The government never paid the bills for this work. Unable to repay his loans, he sold his land and fruit orchard, but it did not solve his problems. He received no relief or response from the state government. With no options left, Sampath died by suicide.
Meanwhile, Sampath had exhausted all normal ways to seek help. He went to the High Court about the unpaid bills. In a desperate act, he once doused himself in petrol outside the Husnabad ACP office to demand government action.
“Even after Sampath’s desperate act of dousing himself in petrol in front of the Husnabad ACP office, CM Revanth Reddy, Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya (Seethakka), and Minister Ponnam Prabhakar did not respond,” said S Yadaiah Goud, president of the Telangana (Former) Sarpanchs’ Association Joint Action Committee (JAC).
The JAC refused to call Sampath’s death a personal tragedy. At Husnabad Mandal headquarters, JAC members led by Goud paid tribute to Sampath. They said the government caused his death and held CM Revanth Reddy and Minister Seethakka responsible. “The government caused this death by not clearing former Sarpanchs’ bills for 31 months. This is not a people’s government,” said Goud.
Furthermore, the JAC said Sampath’s financial collapse was preventable. They blamed the government’s refusal to release dues for nearly three years, calling it negligence that led to his death.
Similarly, the JAC said many former Sarpanchs in Telangana face the same problem. They spent their own money and took loans for village projects but have waited 31 months for reimbursement. The JAC warned that more deaths could occur if the government does not act. “If the government does not pay the pending bills, other former Sarpanchs may also take drastic steps,” Goud warned.
Consequently, the JAC made several demands after Sampath’s death. They want the government to pay all pending bills owed to former Sarpanchs, provide Rs 50 lakh as compensation to Sampath’s family, and give financial support to families of former Sarpanchs in distress. If the government does not meet these demands, the JAC has warned it will escalate protests. Actions may include demonstrations at the homes of responsible ministers.
