The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Ex-naxal's death: confusion prevails

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 17, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ex-naxal's death: confusion prevails

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 16. Confusion clouded clarity over those responsible for the killing of Venkat Reddy, a former naxalite of Mahabubnagar, and Ch. Sampath of Vansthalipuram in the city. The two were found shot dead at Hayathnagar and Choutuppal on December 13 and 11 respectively.

After examining various angles, the police of Cyberabad and Nalgonda district had narrowed down to two gangs -- one headed by a former naxalite of Nalgonda and the other by an accused in the murder of a police head constable, Madhava Reddy, in Mahabubnagar.

Though no evidence was found, police suspect that the murders were committed by same persons only.

"The fact that both were missing from the same day and both the bodies were found within a distance of 20 km with bullet wounds and shot at close range suggest a link between the two sensational murders," a police officer said.

What baffled sleuths most was the revelation of relatives and friends of both the victims that they had never seen Reddy and Sampath together anywhere. Moreover, police found that Sampath had neither any criminal record nor was associated with any criminal gang.

A car driver, Sampath of Vanasthalipuram, was last seen on December 9. The next day, he was supposed to take his master, Srikanth, a businessman, to Shirdi. He parked his two-wheeler at a pan shop near Sushma theatre, boarded a car and left. .

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