A former municipal chairman was taken into police custody in connection with the murder of a retired employee of a private cement factory at Yerraguntla in Kadapa district on Wednesday.
The police recovered the mutilated body of the victim, identified as Bolisetty Venkatramaiah from the house of H. Musalaiah, former chairman of Yerraguntla municipality, while the severed head packed in a tiffin box was found dumped near the Guvvalacheruvu ghat.
According to police, Venkatramaiah, who started a money lending business after his retirement, had reportedly lent ₹20-₹30 lakh to Musalaiah who unofficially pledged a plot measuring 18 cents in Kadapa town.
Preliminary investigation suggests that Musalaiah and Venkatramaiah reportedly had differences over the possession of the land document, even as Musalaiah had reportedly repaid a part of the loan.
Missing complaint lodged on June 20
Venkatramaiah reportedly went missing on June 20 (Saturday) and his family members lodged a police complaint on the same day, suspecting Musalaiah’s role in the disappearance.
The police conducted a search at Musalaiah’s house and exhumed the mutilated body of Venkatramaiah from the verandah.
“Musalaiah reportedly made a phone call to Venkatramaiah at around 12.30 p.m. on June 20 after which the latter was found missing. The accused has been taken into custody and is being questioned,” Kadapa Town DSP U. Suryanarayana told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, sources said that Musalaiah had confessed to the crime.
