Mallu Ravi rejects allegations linking infant’s death to clash at jatara

HYDERABAD

Congress MP from Nagarkurnool Mallu Ravi has rejected allegations that the recent death of a two-month-old infant in Kummera village in the district was caused by the February 18 clash at the Sri Mallanna Swamy jatara, insisting that the tragedy has no connection with the clash between the infant’s father and other community people.

Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday, he said that the baby, who died on February 21, had been born prematurely and suffered from lung complications. Her death is not related to the scuffle at the jatara, he said, and argued that the timeline itself contradicts the allegation, as the child passed away three days after the fair incident.

Citing the hospital’s preliminary findings, he pointed out that the post-mortem revealed no internal or external injuries, dismissing assertions that the infant suffered harm during the clash.

Mr. Ravi maintained that the baby and her mother were not even present at the location of the quarrel and alleges that a false complaint was filed later in an attempt to link the two events.

The Congress senior leader has also rejected claims that the case should fall under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, arguing that the child’s mother is not a Scheduled Caste member.

The MP has also accused certain BRS leaders, including former MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy, of misleading villagers, exploiting the family’s grief, and pushing a narrative designed to provoke outrage.

Calling the infant’s death an unfortunate and deeply saddening loss, he appealed to people, people’s organisations and media not to let a tragedy become a tool for political escalation.