A gang of thieves, fleeing in a vehicle after stealing sheep of a 45-year-old farmer, allegedly ran him over after he tried to stop them in Shamsabad area here today.
M Malaiah, who tried to stop the thieves from escaping in their vehicle, was dragged to some distance after being run over, they said.
According to Shamshabad police, four persons came in a vehicle and were stealing the sheep from the farmer's shed at Kaveliguda village.
In the meantime, the farmer and his two sons got up and tried to prevent them from stealing the sheep and raised an alarm after which some villagers rushed to the spot and caught hold of one of the robbers, Mohd Ashmath, and thrashed him, they said.
Noticing this, the three others tried to flee when Malaiah stood in front of their vehicle, but was run over in the process, police added.
Angered over this, the villagers held a protest on Shamshabad road.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy visited the spot after the incident.
