KAKINADA: The Tuni police on Tuesday arrested six persons in connection with the murder of a journalist on October 15.
Disclosing details of the case at Tuni police station, East Godavari SP Nayeem Asmi said the prime accused had personal conflicts with K Satya Narayana, who worked with a vernacular daily. Three of the six arrested were old offenders and cases were registered against them in police stations in East Godavari and Visakhapatnam.
During the investigation, it was found out that the six persons, including MLA Dadisetti Raja, who were mentioned in the FIR lodged by the family of slain journalist a day after the murder, had nothing to do with it.
As many as seven persons were involved in the crime, and one of them was absconding.
The police named all the seven accused: Vangalapudi Gowri Venkata Ramana and Madagala Dorababu (from Tuni); Sakuru Durga (from Visakhapatnam); Penumutchu Siva Ramakrishna (from Payakaraopeta); and Alladi Babji, Gangisetti Jogi Suresh and Bokkisa Ramesh (from Nakkapalli).
Venkata Ramana had reportedly offered Rs 50,000 to Satya Narayana, the scribe, to settle an issue. However, the latter declined and demanded Rs 2 lakh. Satya Narayana had also blackmailed Dorababu in the issue. Then both the accused conspired to eliminate Satya Narayana with the help of five others. An attack was made on him on September 15 night, leading to his death.
Dorababu is the only accused who is still absconding. Those arrested were produced before a local court.