Sculptures of man who once received accolade from KCR becomes a victim of a land dispute

HYDERABAD: A sculptor from Telangana, who in the past had received accolades from Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his sculpture work, lost Rs 40 lakh worth of his art work in Kismatpur, Rajendra Nagar after some persons without his knowledge barged into his rented workshop and vandalized sculptures and some were dumped in a dump yard.
Rajendranagar police registered a case against Rukma Reddy and others based on the complaint given by the sculptor K Kumara Swamy on the charge of damage to property.
Police said that the artiste Kumara Swamy took a piece of land on rent from one M Naveen one-and-half year ago. Since then he created several steel sculpture, glass sculptures and others.
The artiste said that on Wednesday evening, when no one were present in the work shop, some persons without even bothering to informing him had indulging vandalized, including setting ablaze some of his art work besides throwing away several other sculptures in a dump yard nearby APPA junction.
``On Thursday I came to know that the accused have land dispute with Naveen. I am completely ignorant about the land dispute between them and using the place as a tenant by paying rent. The accused did not even bother to either inform me or serve me noticed. They irresponsibly damaged my sculptures, which has high art value and its value will be around Rs 40 lakhs. It is a result of 10 years of hard work,’’ Kumara Swamy, who was once a gold medalist from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, told TOI on Saturday.
He wants the government to do justice for him by recovering the loss from the accused. ``The accused’s irresponsible acts have broken my back. Even if I work relentlessly for the next three years, I will still not be able to recover from the loss which I incurred. Many of the sculptures where about to be delivered to different government establishments in Siddipet, Mahabubnagar, Rajanna Sircilla districts, who had tied up with him,’’ he said.
Rajendranagar Inspector G Suresh told TOI that firm action will be taken against the accused. ``The accused were already informed to appear before the police,’’ Inspector said.
Last year after seeing his works during the inauguration of Integrated Market in Gajwel, KCR and other government officials appreciated his work.