Police on Friday arrested 13 persons, including a student and some ‘blade batch’ members, who were allegedly involved in a clash that led to the murder of a former rowdy sheeter and iron trader, T. Sandeep, at Thotavari Street in the city a few days ago.
The clash, in which the rival groups attacked each other with with knives, iron rods and boulders, created panic in the residential area.
“The accused were identified with the help of video and CCTV footage and the other suspects will be rounded up soon,” Police Commissioner Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala said at a press conference here.
Mr. Tirumala Rao said area domination and supremacy were said to be the motive behind the murder. Lethal weapons, including two daggers, a snap cutter and six folding blades, were recovered from their possession.
One Pradeep Reddy of Yenamalakuduru and Dhanekula Sridhar of Kanuru constructed an apartment in a piece of land at Yenamalakuduru in 2019. However, differences cropped between the two builders and they reportedly approached Sandeep and Koduri Manikanta alias Pandu, who were maintaining groups, for a settlement.
“Most of the accused were addicted to ganja and liquor. The two groups, headed by Sandeep and Manikanta, had a verbal duel over phone. On May 31, they confronted each other at an open place at Thotavari Street. In the clash that followed, both group members, including Sandeep and Manikanta, suffered injuries,” Mr. Tirumala Rao said.
Sandeep succumbed to injuries in a private hospital after a few hours, the Police Commissioner said.
Sandeep was facing 13 cases. Pandu was involved in two cases, and his mother Padmavathi was facing two cases.
Gap in counselling
“There was a gap in giving counselling to rowdy and history sheeters in the city due to the lockdown,” the Police Commissioner said.
Asked whether the gangs had any political party or leader’s support, Mr. Tirumala Rao said the call data of both groups was being examined.
However, the victim’s family members allege that some political leaders were hand-in-glove with the Pandu gang, which resorted to the killing.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) V. Harshavardhan Raju, Central Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police P. Nagaraja Reddy, Patamata CI R. Suresh Reddy, Penamaluru CI M. Satyanarayana, and Machavaram CI G.V. Vijay Mohan were among those present.
