ELURU: The police arrested six persons in connection with an attack on TV channel reporter at Pittala Vemavaram village in Peravali mandal on the night of May 3. As the attack took place after the reporter Nallamilli Lakshmi Rama Reddy filed two stories on illegal sand mining operations in the mandal, the involvement of sand mafia was suspected initially.
Kovvur Incharge DSP Nunna Muralikrishna told mediapersons at Tanuku on Monday that CI Chinta Rambabu set up a special police team to nab the attackers based on a complaint by the reporter, who received serious injuries in the attack.
During the inquiry, it was revealed that Nallamilli Narendra Kumar Reddy and Dayam Lahipal of Pittala Vemavaram, Kannedi Chantibabu, Koppadi Nagaraju, Gunduboyina Manikantha and Tadi Saikishore of Malkipuram village in East Godavari district attacked the reporter. All the six attackers were arrested.
Giving the case details, the DSP said Narendra Kumar Reddy and Rama Reddy are cousins and both of them were involved in a family dispute. As an act of vengeance, Rama Reddy started troubling Narendra Reddy who is into gravel business, in recent times by making several complaints to the mining officials against him.
As a result, Narendra Reddy incurred a huge loss in the business. Hence, Narendra Reddy, in association with is friend Lahipal, hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Rama Reddy. Mahipal’s friends Chantibabu, Nagaraju, Manikantha and Sai Kishore were also involved in the attack. Narendra Reddy gave them Rs 8,000. In pursuance of the plan, they went to the house of Rama Reddy and attacked him. Later, they took away his laptop. The iron rods used in the attack and `4,000 were seized from the accused, the DSP said.
No sand mafia role
The victim
Rama Reddy and the main accused Narendra Kumar are involved in a long family feud
The arrested are Narendra Kumar Reddy, D Lahipal, K Chantibabu, K Nagaraju, G Manikantha and T Saikishore
Narendra Kumar hatches a conspiracy to eliminate Rama Reddy with the help of his friend following loss in gravel business