HYDERABAD: A 22-year-old gambler Ningani Rajnikanth, who allegedly murdered a farmer M Satyanarayana for Rs 25,000 so that he could pay off his betting dues, was arrested by the Cyberabad police at Medchal on Tuesday.
On April 14, Rajnikanth played a ‘Heads and Tails’ game by wagering Rs 6,000, a sum he obtained by mortgaging his mobile. However, he lost the game and was looking to clear the debt. The same evening he went to a toddy compound with Satyanarayana. The farmer had recently come into some money after selling a piece of land.
After the two were drunk, Satyanarayana whipped out the cash and flaunted his newfound wealth. The youngster, who was already neck-deep in debt, saw this as an opportunity. While returning home, Rajnikanth reportedly attacked Satyanarayana and first hit him with an empty toddy bottle.
He then rained fist blows on the farmer, throttled him and dumped him in a nearby field. After snatching the Rs 25,000, Ranjikanth fled and got his mobile released. Based on clues, Rajnikanth was picked up and and a sum of Rs 16,780 was recovered from him, DCP Balanagar PV Padmaja said.