Telangana youth dies

Anticipating more violence by pro-Telangana activists, the police did not disclose the information about Yadaiah’s death, quietly moving the body to his native Nagaram village, in Rangareddy district, on Sunday morning. Yadaiah was cremated later in the day.

Police believe that Yadaiah planned his protest carefully as revealed by the contents from a bag he was carrying. Apart from the suicide note, the bag contained his certificates and photos he had taken with several politicians from the constituency.

Apprehension

The police apprehend that Yadaiah could be projected as a “martyr” for the cause of a separate Telengana by political parties.

According to the police, Yadaiah had planned to immolate himself in front of the state Assembly but it came to a nought as the police stopped the students’ march.

It was at that moment that an “impulsive and sensitive” Yadaiah set himself afire near the Osmania University campus. The suicide note written in Telugu says: “People like me will get jobs if the Telangana state is formed. I am giving (my) life for Telangana and please don’t stop this movement till Telangana is achieved.”

According to his friends here, Yadaiah lost his parents in his childhood and was left to fend for himself when his brothers refused to take care of him. Yadaiah studied up to SSC in a government school for orphans and enrolled himself into the intermediate course even as he worked part-time in a photo studio and later in a restaurant.

Described as a “generous fellow”, Yadaiah would regularly donate half his salary to a hostel for the blind in the city. Yadaiah doused himself in kerosene and set himself on fire on Saturday in front a large number of policemen and students, who were marching to the Legislative Assembly. He ran for about 50 metres shouting “Jai Telangana” even as horrified onlookers moved away in fear. The police doused the fire and rushed him to hospital but he sustained 80 per cent burns and died a few hours later.

- Rao.