Extortion in the name of Telangana!!

Extortion in the name of Telangana has become a lucrative business in the city. Self proclaimed Telangana activists are demanding money from businessmen, realtors, film producers, mall owners and others, making use of the troublesome situation. While some of the extortion racketeers call themselves former Naxalites, others claim to be members of the joint action committee for Telangana.
Most businessmen in the city are suffering the extortion silently and are paying up, fearing backlash and future consequences. Natti Kumar, one of the producers of the recently released Maa Nanna Chiranjeevi, starring Jagapathi Babu, says he was threatened in the name of Telangana JAC.

“I sold the Telangana rights of the film to a distributor for Rs 55 lakh,” he said. “But he refused to pay the money and instead brought 50 ‘activists’ to Prasad Laboratories the day before the release and threatened me. They raised slogans and didn’t allow the movie prints to go out of the laboratory.”

“He asked me to give the print for Rs 15 lakh and threatened that he won’t allow the movie to be released otherwise,” added Mr Kumar. “I suffered huge losses.” Other producers in the film industry are also facing extortion threats from gangs who claim to be Naxalites or T-activists. “Lakhs of rupees have been collected from film personalities,” said Kumar, who is also the joint secretary of Telugu Film Producers’ Council. Victims claim that the extortion gangs warned them that if they did not pay, they would be ‘dealt’ with after the state is formed.

“A few activists planted their party flags in our site in the city outskirts,” said the owner of a construction firm. “We bought that land legally, but they raised slogans saying it is ‘assigned land’. They later agreed for a ‘settlement’ and we paid money.”

Suraj Agarwal, the ex-President of Federation of AP Chambers of Commerce, said that some people were settling old scores in the name of Telangana. “Anti-social elements are certainly making use of the tense situation,” he said. “We can’t keep giving money to people like this. Victims should lodge police complaints.”

Sources said that some “student leaders” who opposed New Year celebrations in city hotels got in touch with managements of the restaurants and pubs for a ‘settlement’. A group of hotel owners held ‘talks’ with them, following which they withdrew the threat.
Some gangs who are extorting money are also claiming to be close to the TRS chief, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and his family.

However, K. Taraka Rama Rao, son of KCR, said that the TRS leadership had no connection with such gangs. “Let the police take action on people who are trying to use the name of KCR or Telangana agitation,” he said. “We have nothing to do with anyone who demands money.” The police is aware of the extortion spree and had asked the business community to inform them if anyone demands money. “There are a few gangs in the city that are extorting money. We will take action,” said the police commissioner, Mr B. Prasada Rao.

(Published in Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad)