The Hindu : Bid to loot bank, man murdered

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Bid to loot bank, man murdered

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD DEC. 30. A 65-year-old man was battered to death by unidentified persons who broke into the Jeedimetla branch of the State Bank of India here on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

Katikareddy Peddaramaiah, who was killed, was a native of West Godavari district and working as a scavenger in the bank.

The body had severe head injuries, apparently inflicted with iron rods and was found about 15 feet away from the building housing the bank.

The assailants had sneaked into the bank by breaking open the window grills. Although two almirahs were found broken open, bank officials said that nothing of value was missing.

"There was no cash as the robbers must have thought. No other valuables, even documents, are missing," said the bank's Assistant General Manager, Geetanjali Mishra.

The incident shocked the employees as several field officers of the bank were in office till almost midnight on Monday night.

The Jeedimetla branch of the SBI is about 25 years old and has been functioning in the present premises for the past 10 years, they said.

The police said the murder must have been committed between Monday midnight and the early hours of Tuesday. At about 6 a.m. on Tuesday, a watchman in the adjacent building noticed the body of Peddaramaiah and informed the landlord who, in turn, alerted the police.

The Jeedimetla Inspector, K. Kistaiah, said they had received first information at about 8.30 a.m. and rushed to the place.

The Cyberabad Police Commissioner, M. Mahender Reddy, who visited the scene ruled out the involvement of any dacoit gang.

"Going by the unprofessional way the intruders have behaved we believe that this could be the handiwork of just one or two simpletons who thought they could find money stashed away in the bank. They must have killed the poor old man for fear that he would identify them later and tell the police," he told The Hindu.

It is learnt that a watchman in the adjacent building has been taken into custody and is being questioned for his involvement in the murder.

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