AMALAPURAM: YSRC leader and former Amalapuram MLA Pinipe Viswarup’s son Pinipe Srikanth was arrested in Madurai, Tamil Nadu in connection with the murder of a Dalit youth. The case dates back to June 2022, when riots had erupted in Amalapuram over the renaming of the Konaseema district.
The deceased, Janupalli Durga Prasad, was a ward volunteer from Ayanavilli. He had reportedly been missing since June 6, 2022. Based on a missing complaint lodged by Prasad’s wife Sravana Sandhya, Kothapeta police launched a probe and found his body on the bank of the River Godavari. After conducting a post-mortem, doctors confirmed that Prasad was murdered.
Subsequently, Kothapeta DSP Govinda Rao arrested Vaddi Dharmesh on October 18, who reportedly confessed that Durga Prasad was murdered on June 6, 2022 at Kotipalli Revu. He also reportedly said that the ward volunteer was murdered in Srikanth’s directions. However, police said the reasons for the crime are not known yet.
Speaking to media persons while being taken into police custody, Srikanth denied all charges and alleged that his arrest was politically motivated. Viswarup condemned his son’s arrest and termed it vendetta.
YSRC cultivated culture of violence: Lokesh
Following the arrest of the former minister’s son, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh lashed out at the YSRC and said the party cultivated a culture of violence and impunity, where power was prioritised over justice.