Sambasivudu Case Makes Headway

District Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar on Tuesday stated that the police has identified the prime accused in connection with the murder of former Maoist and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) politburo member Sambasivudu. The former naxalite was brutally murdered near Gokaram village, Velgonda mandal of the Nalgonda district, on March 26th.

Talking to mediapersons, Rajesh Kumar stated that the prime accused belonged to the Naeem gang and had personal grudges with the slain TRS leader.

The reason behind the murder was a land dispute between the prime accused and the victim, the SP said.

The SP stated that apart from the prime accused, 6 suspects are still on the run, and expressed confidence that they will be nabbed soon.

Rajesh Kumar stated that so far, 5 others who were accused of committing the murder have been arrested in connection with the case. Those arrested have been identified as Suresh, Rakesh, Srikanth, Sridhar and Amar.

Suresh has reportedly admitted before the police that he had murdered Sambasivudu because his family members were being harassed by the former Maoist.

Revealing more details about the gruesome murder, Rajesh Kumar stated that money to the tune of Rs. 5 lakhs had been exchanged before Sambasivudu was murdered. The SP added that out of the 12 persons who had attacked the former Maoist, 10 were directly involved in the murder. All the accused persons belonged to Rangareddy and Nalgonda districts, he revealed.

The SP said that the police has also seized 4 knives used by the accused to kill Sambasivudu.

The former Maoist was chased and hacked to death by unidentified persons, late on the night of March 26th, while the deceased TRS leader was returning to Hyderabad from Nalgonda district after attending 'Telangana Dhoom Dham'. Sambasivudu was left seriously injured in the attack, and died while being shifted to a hospital.

Doctors at the Gandhi Hospital had said that the former Maoist and TRS politburo member was stabbed 20 times with sharp weapons.

Initial reports had said that a gang of about 15 persons chased the car in which the TRS leader was returning to the city, and attacked him with swords and sickles. His supporters, travelling in another car, also received injuries.

The police had found a car, believed to have been used by the killers, from the backyard of a school in Choutuppal.

According to reports, around 80 criminal cases were pending against Sambasivudu, including his involvement in the Alipiri bomb blast case.

Sambasivudu, named Konapuri Ilaiah at birth, was once an active Naxal before he had surrendered in 2009 due to ill health. He had joined the TRS in 2010, and was made a party politburo member. (INN)