Seven arrested for Yellampally honour killing of Shadnagar man
HYDERABAD: Seven persons were arrested on Monday in connection with the suspected honour killing of a 35-year-old man who was abducted and set ablaze at Yellampally in Farooqnagar mandal of Rangareddy district.
Shadnagar police said the arrested include K Venkataiah, the woman’s father and the prime accused; K Ramulu, her grandfather; and five family friends Pathi Srinu, Vadde Narsimulu, Soma Suresh, Bijju Raghavender and Avula Srikanth. Another accused, Ganesh, is on the run.
Kidnapped from home after 11pm visit
The incident came to light early Thursday when the victim’s wife filed a kidnapping complaint, stating that her husband Yerra Rajashekhar was taken away after the accused arrived at their Ayappa Colony residence in Shadnagar around 11pm on November 12 on the pretext of a discussion.
Police said the accused strangled and beat Rajashekhar to death in a car before burning his body with petrol in an agricultural field at Nawabpet in Mahabubnagar district. The family identified the body on November 13 and performed the last rites on Monday in Yellampally. His younger brother Yerra Chandrashekhar and the woman, who had eloped with him to Nizamabad and married there, attended the funeral.
Accused intercepted on NH44 during vehicle checks
Police said the accused remained at large for two days before being intercepted on Monday morning during vehicle checks on NH44 at Burgula gate. An Innova Crysta carrying three of them, including Venkataiah, was stopped. The others were detained in nearby checks.
“Venkataiah, who works as a journalist with a local Telugu newspaper, made several attempts to evade arrest. He removed his car’s number plate, discontinued his FASTag, discarded his phone and started using a new SIM card,” said S Laxmi Narayana, investigating officer at the Shadnagar police station.
Case linked to daughter’s elopement
Police said the sequence began on November 8, when Venkataiah filed a missing persons complaint at the Moinabad police station after his daughter did not return from college.
“We received information from Nizamabad police that her boyfriend, Chandrashekhar, had picked her up after college and they travelled to Nizamabad, where relatives supportive of the relationship lived. She said she had left willingly and the two married a couple of days later,” said G Pavan Kumar Reddy, station house officer, Moinabad police station.
Chandrashekhar, 22, an auto driver belonging to an SC community, and the woman, from a BC community, both live in Yellampally. The couple had eloped earlier but returned following family intervention.
Police said Venkataiah, angered that his daughter married a man from a lower caste without his consent, assumed Rajashekhar had helped the couple elope and decided to take revenge. “Further inquiry is underway to identify whether more persons were involved,” Laxmi Narayana added.
Weapons and vehicles seized
Police said they seized two cars, including the one used in the crime, two motorbikes, ₹6,500 in cash, the Innova’s registration certificate, a mobile phone and Venkataiah’s press identity card.
