Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Police struggling for clues in Loknath Shail case

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 25. Initially, suspicion was around professional house burglars. Then, doubts were raised over possible involvement of persons known to the victim. Now, the police say needle of doubt points towards rag pickers.

Notwithstanding different theories of possible suspects, the police are struggling to answer some pertinent questions pertaining to the killing of the watchman, Loknath Shail, in actor Balakrishna's Jubilee Hills house. Even a week after the murder, `committed for gain' as described by the police, investigators could not explain as to how robbers gained entry inside the building. As per the statement of the Police Commissioner, R.P. Singh, the robbers did not break into the house. Incidentally, there is no evidence of the robbers using any tools to open the doors.

How did they escape?

Then, how did they gain entry inside? Another moot point is the exit route of offenders. Though the police claim that the robbers could have entered the house by scaling the compound wall, they are at a loss to explain the latter's route of retreat in the absence of footprints or marks.

One or the other marks suggesting exit of culprits must have been found at the scene, as a prolonged struggle ensued between the accused persons and victim resulting in serious bleeding injuries to the latter.

But, no such signs were traced, only adding to the confusion. If gaining entry inside and absence of marks indicating retreat of offenders was mysterious, lack of an iota of evidence suggesting movement of offenders inside the house was even more baffling. According to the police, the robbers took away Rs. 50,000 in cash from a drawer in the actor's bedroom on first floor and then entered his wife, Vasundhara's bedroom. How is it that the robbers managed not to leave any mark though a large amount of blood was splattered on the steps and doorframe?

The fact that more than 30 injuries were found on Shail's body suggested that the culprits were determined to kill the watchman. In that case, what was the strong motive that made the killers attack the watchman so violently?

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• No work, no smile for goods shed workers
• Police struggling for clues in Loknath Shail case
• Music channel hunts for local talent
• MCH plans to make shopping delightful
• PCB surprised over condemned vehicles' auction
• Collector calls for campaign to pledge eyes
• Tourism fair from tomorrow
• NTR car auction put off
• Around the City
• In Hyderabad Today

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu