CHITTOOR: A 35-year-old software engineer was allegedly burnt alive in his car near Ganguudupalle village on Naidupeta-Puthalapattu road in Chandragiri constituency on Saturday night. The deceased was identified as S Nagaraju (35). Prima facie, the case is of murder, said DSP A Venkata Rao, adding that the body was identified on the basis of vehicle registration number and chain and slippers on the body.
Disclosing more details, the DSP said that after receiving a complaint from the victim’s father Jaya Ramaiah, they have arrested one B Rippunjaya on suspicion of involvement in the alleged murder.
Nagaraju, resident of Brahmanapalli village in Vedurukuppam Mandal was survived by his wife Sulochana and two children.
In a statement given to the police, his kin informed that Nagaraju’s younger brother had an extramarital affair with the wife of village Sarpanch’s brother Rippunjaya. They further accused the Sarpanch, his brother and two others of killing Nagaraju after they allegedly took him out under the pretext of talking to a compromise regarding the matter.
Nagaraju’s wife Sulochana, in her statement, said, “My husband’s brother Purushottam had an extra-marital affair with the woman. It was the reason for feuds between the two families. When things escalated, my husband sent Purushottam to Bengaluru and was mediating through Gopi (one of the accused) to sort out the issue amicably. On Saturday night, they took my husband with them to discuss the matter.” She further claimed that they thrashed him, and after tying his hands and legs, they locked him in the car and set it afire.
A case has been filed under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing proof to vanish), in conjunction with Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). DNA samples have been sent to the forensics to establish the identity of the deceased, the DSP added. A manhunt has been launched to nab other alleged suspects Chanakya Prathap, Sarpanch of Brahmanapalli, and two others - Gopinath Reddy and Subbanna.
“We are also trying to investigate whether the suspects used fuel from Nagaraju’s vehicle for the murder or if they carried it with them, which could mean that the crime was planned and they tried to make it appear like an accident by pushing the car into a ditch,” the DSP said.