HYDERABAD: The one-man judicial commission, which looked into the killing of Telugu Desam MLA Paritala Ravi in January 2005, has concluded that the killing was due to "personal rivalry," and not political enmity.

The Cabinet on Tuesday accepted the recommendations of the commission headed by Justice A.Gopal Rao. The commission also suggested that police outposts and police stations be opened in faction-ridden areas. The report would be placed in the Assembly.

`Vendetta killing'

In its report, the commission concluded that "without hesitation that there is a cause and reason for any one or group of persons opposing him to eliminate him."

The commission was constituted by the Rajasekhara Reddy Government to probe the reasons for the murder, examine the adequacy of response of law-enforcement agencies of such incidents and to identity factors responsible for persistence of such violence.

Apart from citing personal vendetta as the prime reason for the murder, it failed to record its findings with regard to other issues referred to it as none, including the political parties, came forward to testify.

Probe by SIT suggested

After examining several cases of faction murders in Anantapur district, the commission averred that there could be any number of persons nursing a grouse against the former MLA and could have retaliated to avenge the murders of their family members.

It also suggested to the Government to entrust such controversial cases to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Detention of important faction leaders was necessary by more effective acts like the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities and Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers Act by amending the necessary provisions.

It also asked the Government to establish police outposts in faction-ridden areas and impose punitive tax on both the factions to collect the cost of maintaining the outposts.

The commission pointed out that in spite of receiving notices from the commission, the TDP and Congress leaders, both elected and otherwise, had not come forward to depose before it.

The Cabinet also accepted the recommendations of the L.Rama Chenna Reddy Commission, which enquired into suicides by farmers and the action taken report, both of which would be tabled in the Assembly.

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