The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `Godman' killers untraced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Godman' killers untraced

Despite all efforts, the police make no headway in a clear case of murder for gain, writes Marri Ramu.

CIRCUMSANTIAL EVIDENCE suggests that the killers were known to the victim. But, how to zero in on them in the absence of any direct evidence or lead is the question haunting the police in the murder case of the self-proclaimed godman, Bhaskarabhatla Chandramouli. He was found murdered in his Guruswami Colony house at Alwal on October 6.

Missing of gold rings and chains worn by the `godman' indicates that it was a murder for gain. Incidentally, offenders did not ransack the entire house in search of property. They broke open two `select' almirahs where jewellery and cash was stored.

This raised suspicion over the involvement of persons familiar with layout of the house and who had knowledge about the property. Chandramouli used to lock the iron grill gate of his portion on first floor with a steel chain. There was no evidence of the culprits making a forcible entry. He must have opened the gate on seeing the visitors. The police believe that Chandramouli might have been taken aback by the attack and ran into the bathroom to save his life. Pattern of bloodstains on the floor adds strength to this theory.

No struggle marks

Unlike in typical property offences and murder for gain cases, there were absolutely no struggle marks at the scene of offence. This indicates that attackers simply walked in and attacked Chandramouli. Forensic experts surmised the murder was committed between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on October 5. Chandramouli was alone on the first floor of the house where he was living with wife. His son, Srikanth, and daughter-in-law were living on the ground floor. Both the women had gone to Hayatnagar to call on an ailing relative while Srikanth returned home late in the night.

Mobile calls

The police learnt that some relatives went up the first floor and left a wedding card at the gate as the "grill was found closed with chain and the front door bolted from outside." Police suspect the killers, after committing the murder, locked the gate and took away the key. Despite verification of the outgoing and incoming calls of the victim's mobile, detectives could not get any lead so far.

As a `godman', a number of visitors used to personally meet him and call over the phone making it difficult to narrow down on suspects.

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