Police arrested a person who allegedly set fire to haystacks in Peddavaduguru village over the past two weeks. The accused had reportedly been involved in similar acts in his native village nearly two months ago.
Peddavaduguru Sub-Inspector of Police (SI) P.Y. Anjaneyulu said they received complaints from local farmers regarding unknown individuals setting fire to their haystacks, which had been stored to feed their cattle. Haystacks worth a total of ₹7 lakh were destroyed, he added.
Police said that on the night of April 12, a stack of sorghum stalks, foxtail millet straw, and kodo millet straw belonging to Velpula Gangaraju of Peddavaduguru was set on fire. Later that night, at 2 a.m., a similar stack belonging to Z. Veera Reddy was also set ablaze. Meanwhile, on the afternoon of April 19, a stack of sorghum stalks and foxtail millet straw belonging to Vattam Rameshwara Reddy was set alight, the police added.
Police arrested the accused, Tapila Pedda Pandurangadu, alias Sudhakar, of Nagasamudram village in the Guntakal Rural mandal on April 19 (Sunday) with the help of CCTV footage, which showed him fleeing after setting fire to a haystack in the village. He was apprehended near the palm trees located in the vicinity of Akshaya Colony in Peddavaduguru village.
