A politician in India has died after being doused in petrol and set on fire near the Kotilingala temple on the outskirts of Warangal on Saturday night. The victim, identified as Mahesh, suffered serious burns and died before reaching Hyderabad for treatment, police confirmed.
Attack Details and Victim's Final Moments
Mahesh had been drinking with fellow government worker Jannu Madhu near the temple. They were joined by another politician, Pathi Kumar, and an unnamed fourth person. According to The Times of India, Kumar is a person of interest and a murder suspect in a separate case. Kumar allegedly took Mahesh's phone earlier in the evening and later doused him in petrol.
Video footage of the attack, reportedly taken by locals, shows Mahesh urging them to record the incident and naming Kumar in an appeal to police. Mahesh said: "We fought against the BRS government 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."
Police Investigation and Suspect's Criminal History
Geesugonda inspector D Vishweshwar stated that Mahesh suffered 50% burns. Doctors advised moving him to Hyderabad, but he died from his injuries before this could happen. Police have not released information on the motive or the attacker's identity. Kumar, along with five others, was convicted in a 2018 murder case. He appealed his life sentence and received conditional bail after only 11 months in prison. He was released four months ago and had resumed political activities shortly after leaving prison. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
