A Village Revenue Assistant (VRA) was allegedly mowed down by the sand mafia on Thursday in Kamareddy, Telangana. However, district officials have dismissed the allegation and said that the VRA was run over by a brick-laden lorry when he slept on the road.

The victim was identified as Boyini Sayulu, VRA of Kambapoor village of Pitlam mandal. Sayulu’s family members alleged that he was knocked down when he tried to stop a sand tractor which was illegally transporting sand from Karegaon village. Villagers said that sand mining in Karegaon from the Kakivagu stream was rampant.

Telangana Today reported that Sayulu received a tip-off on sand mining at the Kakivagu stream. He wanted to prevent the mining and left for the spot after informing his higher officials.

The report says that Sayulu had an argument with the tractor drivers and one of them ran over him.

Dismissing the allegations and the angle of sand mafia killing, District Collector N Satyanarayana said that it was an accident. He said that there was no sand in the village suitable for any kind of construction.

“It was an accident, we don’t know if the VRA was drunk. He was sleeping on the road and the lorry driver, who didn’t notice him, ran over him. The driver has surrendered. The VRA is from Kambapoor, we don’t know why he went to Karegaon,” the Collector told TNM.

He added, “The sand quality of Karegaon ranks between order 1 and 2, which is not suitable for any type of construction. So, calling it a murder by the sand mafia is flawed.”

He said that after the incident, villagers had noticed another sand truck plying on the same road and hence assumed that he was mowed by a vehicle plying sand.

Sayulu’s body has been shifted to Banswada area hospital for examination.