The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Hyderabad link unravelled

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 05, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad link unravelled

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, FEB. 4. The Cyberabad police have stumbled upon Hyderabad connection to the killing of the Telugu Desam MLA, Paritala Ravindra, with the busting of a seven-member gang allegedly responsible for a series of killings.

The gang leader, Patlolla Goverdhan Reddy, told the police that Julakanti Srinivas Reddy, prime accused in the case, was his gang's sympathiser. Reddy said at a press conference, where he was produced here today that he had conducted a recce of several places in Anantapur two months ago with his associates.

Ex-naxal's murder

With the arrest of Reddy's gang, the Cyberabad police claimed to have solved mysteries behind eight murders, including that of a former naxalite, K. Venkat Reddy, in Mahabubnagar.Reddy is the self-styled president of the Revolutionary Patriotic Tigers (RPT), a splinter group of naxalites. He along with Srinivas Reddy, Narayana Reddy (who surrendered to the Anantapur police claiming involvement in Ravi's killing) and Damodar Reddy (brother of a former naxalite, Venkat Reddy), had gone to Anantapur for the recce of places frequented by Ravi.

`Sympathy for Suri'

Asked as to why he had joined hands with Ravi's assailants, Reddy said: "We sympathise with Maddelacheruvu Suri, who has been waging a war from jail against Ravi's atrocities."

The Cyberabad Commissioner, M. Mahendar Reddy, told newsmen that the Anantapur police had been informed of the development. "We will ascertain Reddy's claims after taking him on police remand."

The Commissioner explained that Damodar Reddy did not take part in the killing as his brother, Venkat Reddy, was murdered by the same gang due to internal disputes.

Other cases

The other cases include the killing of a pan shop owner, Ramakrishna, who was shot dead at his shop near the Hyderabad Police Commissioner's office in Baheerbagh on August 16, 2004. Goverdhan Reddy told police that he got killed Ramakrishna as the latter had been harassing a woman acquaintance.

The Commissioner added that a gang member had killed a car driver, Satyanarayana, on May 9, as the latter threatened to inform police about Goverdhan Reddy's illegal activities. One Rajkumar Goud of Domalguda used to humiliate Goverdhan Reddy (who is affected by polio on one leg) of his infirmity. The gang killed Goud on June 12. Ramesh of Vemulawada and Narsimha Reddy of Siddipet, were eliminated on August 3 and 6 in 2004 for "cheating" RPT, the Commissioner said. Thirupathi Balanna, another member, had allegedly killed two personsin Mahbubnagar district and L.B. Nagar on the city outskirts.

Arms seized

Two country-made revolvers, ammunition and explosives were seized from the arrested. Along with Goverdhan Reddy, Balanna, J. Ramesh, M. Anjaiah, B. Venkat Swamy, Y. Basavalingam and V. Srininvas Reddy, were arrested. J. Srinivas Reddy, Damodar Reddy and Swami Reddy are at large.

The Commissioner praised Inspector A. Shivaramakrishna, Mohd. Mohiuddin and SIs, Satyanarayana, Jagadishwar Reddy, A.V.R. Narsimha Rao and Goverdhan for their good work.

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

Andhra Pradesh