A man burnt a woman revenue officer alive in her office at Abdullahpurmet village in Hayathnagar mandal in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district on Monday afternoon, Hindustan Times reported. The officer was identified as 35-year-old Vijaya Reddy. The accused, identified as Suresh, and two others were injured in the incident and were taken to a local government hospital for treatment.

According to the police, Reddy and Suresh had disagreement over seven acres of land near Bacharam village. Visuals of the incident shared on social media showed Reddy running out of her office after being set on fire, The News Minute reported. The office staff tried to douse the fire with a blanket, but she collapsed to the floor and succumbed to her injuries.

“There will be a thorough investigation,” said Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagawath. “The accused has also suffered about 60% burn injuries. We learnt that dispute over a land was ongoing in the High Court.”

Bhagawath said Suresh was already in police custody. The police are investigating the motive behind Suresh’s attack, and if anybody instigated him to carry it out. “We will finish the investigation in a limited time and take it to a fast track court for swift punishment,” the police officer added.

Employees of the revenue department protested against the incident, and briefly blocked the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. The police had to be called in to disperse the demonstrators.

State minister Sabitha Indra Reddy visited the revenue department, and condemned the murder. “If there is any problem with the functioning of tehsildars, people should take it up with the higher officials…setting someone ablaze is inhumane,” she told reporters.

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