Hyderabad: The nephew of an ex-mla from the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was arrested by the police in connection with the murder of the lawyer couple which transpired on February 17. Bittu Srinu, the accused, will be produced before a court today evening.
A day earlier, the Ramagundamn police had arrested Kunta Srinivas, a mandal-level leader of the TRS, and two others for the gruesome murder of Vaman Rao and his wife P V Nagamani. Srinu is the nephew of TRS ex-MLA Putta Madhukar.
Rao and his wife, both practicing lawyers in the Telangana High Court, were travelling in a car when the assailants intercepted the vehicle and attacked them using knives and other sharp weapons on the main road. The incident took place in Peddapalli district, and drew widespread condemnation.
During his last moments, Vaman Rao had named the TRS leader as being responsible for the attack. His family members have also alleged a local TRS leader was behind the gruesome act. During the course of investigation, Srinivas and two others were arrested.
Srinivas was among the two who carried out the attack, and both fled the spot after the incident. They later dumped sharp weapons and their blood-stained clothes in a barrage, police said. Srinivas had certain differences with Vaman Rao and he conspired to kill the lawyer couple due to that.
During the interrogation of the accused, it was revealed that they bore a grudge against the couple, following differences that came up regarding the construction of a temple and a house in Gunjapadugu village, the police said. TRS general secretary M Srinivas Reddy on Thursday also suspended Srinivas from the party with immediate effect.
The investigators have seized the car and lethal weapons used in committing crime. The Y Nagi Reddy, Inspector General of Police, north zone, said a day earlier that the police have gathered crucial evidence against the assailants.