HYDERABAD: Two days after a crossdresser was murdered and four others were injured by a mob numbering over 1,000, investigators are closely examining available visuals of the incident that show a particular group raising certain slogans. The new clue has added another twist to the brutal attack that resulted in the death of 51-year-old Chandraiah. While it’s not clear what exactly the slogans were, police have a new narrative of what could have happened that night.
According to that, two among the three crossdressers were at the Azeem Hotel, asking for money. The owner gave them `10, but they lingered around asking for more. At this point, a customer walked up to the owner and showed him his mobile phone. Allegations are that the customer was showing a fake forward message of inter-state child kidnapping gangs.
Soon, an argument ensued between the customer and the crossdressers, which then led to a scuffle. In an attempt to send them out of the hotel, another person picked up a tyre and hit Chandraiah. As Chandraiah and his friend Swamy tried to run out, the customer hollered out to others to catch them, saying they were kidnappers.
Soon, a mob gathered. Without even giving a chance for the victims to speak, the mob attacked them. The third crossdresser, Narasimha, who was at another shop, was also dragged out and battered. But many cops are not convinced by this story.
“Because, few people in the mob are heard raising slogans unrelated to the incident,” said one official, without revealing what the slogans were. “We aren’t sure if people got angry because they touched them, or if it was done deliberately to teach them a lesson,” said another official.
Meanwhile, cops say they are getting all kinds of replies from the 15 people detained following the incident. “Many of them admitted to hitting the victims once or twice but claimed they had no role in the killing. A 15-year-old boy who was also detained said he slapped one of the victims because he saw others do it,” officials added.
Yet again
In an incident similar to that of Saturday, a drunk woman was chased by a mob at Habeeb Nagar on Monday. The crowd had mistaken her for kidnapper. The woman Nagamani is a rag picker. On Monday, she consumed toddy at Habeeb Nagar. While on her way back with one Nagaraju, she was questioned by a passerby. Her condition raised suspicion and she was chased by a mob. Habeeb Nagar police rushed to her rescue