Date:11/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/11/stories/2008021154590600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Murder mystery solved, three held

Staff Reporter

GUNTUR: Nearly three months after the body of a village elder near Bapatla was found in a drain leading to the sea, the police have unravelled the mystery behind the gruesome murder and arrested three persons in this connection.

The main accused in the case, Asodi Bhaskara Reddy, vice-president of Kukkalavaripalem panchayat, is still absconding. Disputes arising out of civil panchayats were said to be the main reason behind the murder.

Producing the arrested persons before media on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha said that main accused; Bhaskara Reddy would be soon arrested. The S.P also revealed that the accused’s links with a former legislator were being probed and action would be initiated against the latter too if his involvement was proved. Three persons Asodi Bala Peddana Reddy, Gampala Srinivasa Reddy and Vare Sambi Reddy have been arrested so far, while five others were still absconding. Meanwhile, mild tension continued at Nagendrapalem on Sunday as the wife of main accused, Musalamma launched an indefinite fast in the village protesting against the police action. It was in November 2007 that the body of Nakka Musala Reddy was found stacked in a gunny bag and dumped in the Parley Drain near Suryalanka beach in Bapatla. Based on a complaint from Ramanjeyulu Reddy, police questioned M. Mastan Reddy and his sons. They were later released after the enquiries revealed that they had no connection with the murder. The police led by Inspector of Police M. Raj Kumar launched a thorough probe. Investigations revealed that the body was carried in a tractor before being dumped into the canal. The arrest of tractor driver Vare Sambi Reddy provided further clues leading to the arrest of Asodi Bala Peddana Reddy and Gampala Srinivasa Reddy. Based on their statement, the police zeroed on in the involvement of Bhaskara Reddy. The police also came to know that it was Bhaskar Reddy, who had revealed about the presence of body in the canal to the deceased sons. Investigations revealed that Bhaskara Reddy had a running feud with Mastan Reddy over encroachments of some lands at Kukkalavaripalem. With a desire to implicate him in the murder case, he allegedly hatched a plot to kill Musala Reddy.