HYDERABAD: Could the recent kidnap attempt at KBR Park have been avoided? It seems so. The ex-Greyhounds constable P Obulesu, who was arrested by the Hyderabad police in Kurnool on Thursday, confessed to have abducted a youngster at the same place by using the same weapon, AK-47, a few months ago.
Obulesu, by his own account, had taken his young victim to Mahbubnagar district and let him off only after his family paid a ransom of `10 lakh. However, the young man’s family chose not to lodge a police complaint, which perhaps emboldened Obulesu to do an encore.
“Since no formal complaint was lodged, no case was registered and therefore, no action taken,” Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahendar Reddy told the media here Friday after announcing Obulesu’s arrest. He also confirmed that in the scuffle between Obulesu and Aurobindo Pharma director K Nityananda Reddy at the KBR Park on Wednesday, the former had fired eight rounds — which the commissioner pointed out, could have resulted in injuries to some as the area is frequented by many. Fortunately, none was hurt. Mahendar Reddy didn’t rule out the possibility of probing Obulesu’s earlier and ‘successful’ offense if the victim comes forward to give a statement. Sleuths found `3 lakh in Obulesu’s bank account. With the rest `7 lakh ransom amount, he purchased a vehicle and indulged himself. To a query on his accomplices, the Commissioner replied there was no evidence to suggest he had any.
Mahendar Reddy said it was Obulesu, who had stolen the AK-47 from the bell of arms at the Greyhounds headquarters in Gandipet in December last. “In Greyounds, commandos clean their weapons once every week. That day, there were several personnel from different units of Greyhounds who went about their routine of cleaning their weapon. Obulesu was one among them,” he explained. After concealing the weapon in his jacket, the accused took a bus to Orvakal in Kurnool district, where he hid it under the rocks in an isolated place.
According to the commissioner, Obulesu selected his targets at random. He zeroed in on Nityananda Reddy going by his car (Audi Q 7) and the fact that he was alone. Obulesu had reached the KBR park a day prior to the shootout and spent the night there itself, waiting for his prey.