Former public prosecutor held for attempt to murder wife, children in Hyderabad

His wife and children asked him to change his drinking habits but the accused developed a grudge against them.

Accused Banala Ajay Kumar (Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD: Rachakonda police have arrested a former prosecutor, Banala Ajay Kumar (47), for attempting to murder his wife and children using his licensed firearm.

The arrest was made at Vanasthalipuram police station on Sunday. The incident came to light on Tuesday. Ajay Kumar has been booked under the Indian Arms Act. Police have seized his RFI pistol 0.32, MK-II No-218127060 along with three rounds of live ammunition from him.

His license will be cancelled following due procedure, said K Purushotham Reddy, ACP Vanasthalipuram division of Rachakonda. Ajay Kumar had obtained an arms licence in 2021 and purchased the pistol with 30 rounds for self-protection from Rajadhani Armoury. The firearm is valid in Telangana, he said.

Ajay Kumar, who belongs to Mahabubnagar, came to Hyderabad in 1993. After completion of his BA and LLB, he started practising law. Along with his wife Ramadevi and two children, he was living at Vanasthalipuram.

In 2004, he was appointed as an additional public prosecutor in High Court till 2010. After completion of his term, he started private practice at Nampally court. In 2018, he was again hired as an additional public prosecutor at Nampally court till 2021.

Eventually, he got addicted to alcohol and started coming home in drunken condition. He was also quarrelling and beating his wife and two children.

His wife and children asked him to change his habits but the accused developed a grudge against them and decided to kill them. Police found that on two occasions in the past too, Ajay Kumar threatened his daughter at gunpoint and harassed other family members mentally and physically during nights.

On Saturday night, Ajay Kumar picked up a quarrel and threatened his daughter while brandishing the gun. On seeing this, his son tried to rescue her, but the accused also aimed the gun at him. On seeing this, his wife managed to snatch the gun from him. However, with the intention to kill them, the accused took a knife from the kitchen and went after his son. However, all of them managed to escape.