THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The increasing dominance of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh could have forced the murderers of TRS leader K Ramulu to escape to Kerala.
The six-member gang accused in the murder was nabbed from a private lodging in the capital the other day. A .32 country-made pistol and Rs 1,20,000 were also seized from the gang.
An Andhra Pradesh police team headed by SP Rama Rajeswari which arrived in the capital on Wednesday confirmed the arrested were murder accused and wanted criminals.
However, she said their Naxal links could be stated only after further interrogation. The arrested were identified as Somaiyyah, 35, Suresh Maji, 45, Panka Ravi, 32, Ramesh, 38, Ellesh, 38, and Kumaraswami, 28, all hailing from Warangal in Andhra Pradesh. They were produced in court on Wednesday and remanded. They are likely to be taken to Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.
Officials said the landslide win of TRS in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls had strengthened the demand for bringing the accused before law. The arrested, all having alleged ‘Naxal’ links, are accused in some other sensational killings in Telangana masterminded by Maoist-turned-realtor Nayeemuddin.
“They came to the capital on their own as they felt this a safe hideout. So far, no ‘local links’ have been found,” the officials said.
The officials said the gang members were Naxal-turned criminals. “They are not ideology-driven Naxalites but some criminals who joined and Left movement for monetary benefits,” they said.