A major issue that got the HYDRAA boss in trouble

HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath said the agency did not enter the petitioner’s land in Lothkunta but only acted on adjoining government land in the Trimulgherry-Alwal overlap area. | Photo Credit: Photo File

The Supreme Court’s directive seeking the removal of AVRanganath as commissioner of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) was prompted by a series of contempt petitions alleging violation of court orders regarding a plot of land in Lothkunta village in Medchal Malkajgiri district.

The land near Ammuguda, spread over 40 acres next to the railway line, was in the possession of a reputed builder who had won a long battle against the government.

HYDRAA, acting on a complaint of mound destruction by the Rock Preservation Society, entered the land and cleared it before fencing it off. This was despite an earlier undertaking to the High Court that HYDRAA officials would not encroach on the petitioner’s property at Lothkunta village.

Mr. Ranganath alleged that the HYDRAA forces did not enter the petitioner’s land in Lothkunta village but only the government land which was located in the overlapping area between Trimulgherry and Alwal.

The petitioner stated that the disputed land is in survey number 1 and 2 of Lothkunta village, which Mr. Ranganath claimed is 3 km from the land secured by HYDRAA. He said the geographical coordinates of the land coincide with GLR 243 (General Land Registry Number) indicating the government land allotted to the Cantonment. He further said that there are no survey number 1 and 2 in Lothkunta village.

Representatives of the Rock Salvage Society, which initially reported rock blasting in the country, mentioned three signboards indicating it was A1 Defense land, further complicating the matter. The key piece of evidence adduced by the petitioner during the previous case was the land acquisition order purportedly from the railways, which Mr. Ranganath calls fictitious.

While the issue could have been resolved on appeal to a bench of the Supreme Court, Operation HYDRAA resulted in the current contempt petition.

“While clearing the land, we have only tried to implement the rule of law in letter and spirit. Going forward, we will use appropriate legal remedies,” Mr. Ranganath said after reports of the Supreme Court’s direction to remove him as HYDRAA chief.

Published – 27 Jul 2026 21:15 IST