Hyderbad (Telangana) [India], March 15 : Congress leader and MLC Balmoor Venkat, on Sunday along with his supporters, burned an effigy of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) KT Rama Rao, raising slogans "No Drugs, No KTR" and challenging him to undergo a drug test.
The protest comes after six people, including Teugu Desam Party MP Putta Mahesh Kumar and former BRS MLA Pilot Rohit Reddy, tested positive for drugs following a police raid at a farmhouse in Moinabad in Rangareddy district.
Speaking to ANI here, Venkat alleged that KTR and his associates had links to drug-related activities and demanded that the BRS leader prove his innocence. "We were repeatedly saying that KTR also consumes drugs; he has a habit of consuming drugs. KTR's followers and his family members had been booked under drug cases. Last night, his ex-MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy tested positive for drugs," Venkat said.
He further said that the protest was organised to highlight the issue and to protect the youth of the state. "So, today we have come out with a slogan to save Telangana. Congress Government in Telangana has brought the EAGLE team to protect youth and students of Telangana," he said.
Venkat demanded that KTR immediately take a drug test and also asked the BRS leadership to act against the former MLA involved in the case. "I demand KTR to come for a test immediately. KTR needs to prove his integrity by suspending his ex-MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy from the party," he added.
The controversy follows the raid conducted by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) team of the Telangana Police at Rohit Reddy's farmhouse on Saturday.
Police said 11 people were detained during the operation after receiving information about a party being held at the farmhouse without permission. Drug tests conducted during the raid initially returned positive results for five individuals, and subsequent blood sample tests confirmed one additional positive case, taking the total to six.
Officials also said that a firearm was discharged during the raid and a small quantity of suspected drugs was recovered from the premises.
Further investigation into the case is underway.