VIJAYAWADA: Palnadu police, who detained Narasaraopet-based Sai Defence Academy director Avula Subba Rao suspecting his role behind the violence at the Secunderabad railway station on Friday as part of the protest against Agnipath, reportedly could not find any incriminating evidence confirming his involvement in the arson.
During interrogation, the police reportedly took his mobile phone for examining his call data, collected his office data, retrieved deleted videos from his YouTube channel, verified all his social media accounts and searched his house and office as part of the probe.
“We have retrieved a deleted video from his YouTube channel, which is being run on the name of his academy. There is only mention about the new army recruitment scheme and comparing it with the previous one. He did not instigate aspirants against the scheme ‘on record’. However, we are not ruling out his role completely as there is a possibility that he might have provoked his students orally,” SP Y Ravi Shankar Reddy told TNIE.
Subba Rao hails from a village in Cumbum mandal of Prakasam district. He retired as an army medical assistant. Later, he settled down in Narasaraopet and started Sai Defence Academy in 2015. He opened another branch of his academy in Secunderabad recently. In a short time, Subba Rao has become popular among defence academy circles. He rose to fame overnight with his detailed explanation of army recruitment in YouTube videos and tips for students.
Asked about his visit to Secunderabad a day before the arson, the SP clarified that Subba Rao’s travel details were verified thoroughly. “He is claiming that it was his routine as he has a branch in Secunderabad. We are trying to identify the youth who took a selfie with him and posted on social media that Subba Rao came in support of the protest against Agnipath,” the SP stated.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad on Sunday, Secunderabad Railway SP Anuradha said the role of some defence academy directors was found behind the agitation and violence who reportedly misguided students and Army aspirants. But, she did not name anyone.