Warangal: A 52-year-old Congress worker, A Mahesh, was allegedly doused in petrol and set ablaze near Kotilingala temple on the outskirts of Warangal on Saturday night. He sustained severe burns and succumbed while being shifted to Hyderabad for better treatment. Police were tight-lipped about the alleged killers.Around 8.30pm, Mahesh was invited by a fellow Congress worker, Jannu Madhu, for a booze session at an isolated place near the Kotilingala Temple. They were joined by Pathri Kumar, also a Congress worker, and another person, Geesugonda police have said.During the drinking session, Pathri Kumar, a history-sheeter and an accused in a murder case, got into an argument with Mahesh over why he snitched on him to Wardhannapet MLA KR Nagaraju. Later, he forcibly took away Mahesh’s mobile phone, allegedly doused him in petrol and set him afire. Mahesh tried to escape, but sustained severe burns, police added. Locals rushed to his rescue and doused the flames.Mahesh requested them to record his statement on their mobile phones. They obliged and recorded his video, in which Mahesh reportedly urged police to take stringent action against Pathri Kumar and others involved in the attack and ensure their immediate arrest.He also appealed to the govt to support his family, stating that he was serving Congress for the past 26 years.In the video recorded by passersby, Mahesh reportedly stated: ”We fought against the BRS govt and worked to ensure Congress came to power. As a senior leader, I worked for the development of the poor and the colony. However, people like Pathri Kumar are cheating the party and hatching conspiracies to eliminate leaders working for the development of the area.” He requested police to take action against Pathri Kumar.Learning about the incident, Geesugonda police rushed to the spot and shifted Mahesh to MGM Hospital, Warangal, for treatment. Geesugonda inspector D Vishweshwar stated that Mahesh suffered 50% burns and doctors advised that he be shifted to Hyderabad for better treatment, but he succumbed while he was being moved.The prime accused, Pathri Kumar, along with five others, was convicted in a 2018 murder case. In 2021, the additional sessions court-cum-special court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) cases, Warangal, sentenced him and four others to life imprisonment. The Warangal police also invoked the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against the five.Later, Pathri Kumar approached high court and appealed against his life sentence. The court sanctioned conditional bail after he spent nearly 11 months in jail.He came out of jail four months ago and resumed his political activities along with the deceased, Mahesh. Due to frequent tiffs with Mahesh, Pathri Kumar allegedly hatched a conspiracy on Saturday night to eliminate him.A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
