The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : The mystery lingers Law And Order

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

The mystery lingers Law And Order

Conflicting versions over realtor Prashant Reddy’s death deepening with every passing day, writes Marri Ramu

Since the day real estate businessman Prashant Reddy’s mysterious death case was reported, new questions and suspicions have been arising every day.

The confessional statement of K. Venkateshwar Rao admitting to the murder is contradicting the report of forensic experts that GSR was found on the hand of Reddy. These conflicting points are further deepening the mystery behind the death of Reddy, wh o died of a gun shot wound in Rao’s house at on Sept. 9.

If the traces of GSR found on the hand of Reddy suggested that he himself opened fire with the .32 revolver, what is the relevance of Rao’s confession that he shot at Reddy? Rao’s statement reading: “as I approached towards him he tried to push my hand that held the weapon with his right hand and I fired at him,” suggests that GSR got deposited on the hand of Reddy as he tried to push Reddy holding the weapon.

What are the chances of GSR getting deposited like that? Investigators opine there is definitely such possibility pointing to the observation that GSR was found on the web between the thumb and index finger of Reddy. In the backdrop of such puzzling points, the investigators began studying the direction of the bullet after it hit Reddy’s right temple. The bullet travelled from front to back and slightly upwards before getting embedded beneath scalp after piercing the occipital bone. Forensic doctors feel this point too indicates Reddy did not shoot himself.

The confessional statement said that Reddy, after being hit by the bullet, fell down hitting his face against the sofa’s backrest. Investigators argue that a contusion found on the eyelid of Reddy substantiates this point. If Reddy shot himself, how did the contusion form on his eyelid - is another point the investigators are putting forward to validate the theory of the death being a homicide.

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