Tirunagaru Maruthi Rao, the prime accused in the ‘honour killing’ of a Dalit youth P. Pranay Kumar in Miryalguda of Telangana, was found dead in a room at Arya Vyshya Bhavan in Khairathabad here on Sunday morning.
Top officials in the police department suspect Mr. Rao committed suicide by consuming poison.
Also read: Pranay murder: Maruthi Rao, other accused get bail
“We suspect, he resorted to the extreme step by consuming poison. However, the exact reason will be known only after the autopsy,” the officer told The Hindu.
Mr. Rao is a well-known businessman in Miryalguda. His daughter Amruthavarshini had married the 24-year-old Pranay against his wishes, and he allegedly hired assassins to kill Pranay in 2018 .
Also read: ‘My father, uncle hatched my husband’s murder’
The accused, who was out on bail for the past few months, came to Hyderabad on Saturday evening to meet his advocate.
However, on Sunday morning when he did not respond to the repeated knocks, Mr. Rao’s driver Rajesh with the help of Arya Vyshya Bhavan staff broke open the room door on the third floor of the building and found his employer. Police rushed to the spot and shifted the body to Osmania General Hospital.
A note purportedly left behind by Mr. Rao stated, ‘Talli Amrutha, maa degariki velipoo’ (Dear Amrutha go and stay with your mother).
Roshni — suicide prevention helpline: +914066202000.
