Seven criminals caught for triple murder in Andhra

Seven persons, including four contract killers, have been arrested for killing three members of a family in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh on September 24.

A rival family had paid Rs 1 crore to the Delhi-based killers, and the contract was given through a family member in east Delhi’s Kalyanpuri, police said on Tuesday.

On September 24, Gandham Nageswararao, 70, Marayya, 40, and Pagidi, 30, were shot dead on national highway 16 when they were travelling from Vijayawada to Eluru in their Tavera and were followed by the contract killers in an XUV and on a motorcycle.

“They opened fire on the occupants of the Tavera, but the driver managed to escape unhurt,” said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime). A case of murder was registered with Unguturu police station in Vijayawada.

A probe by local police revealed that the sensational triple murder was the result of personal enmity between two families in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.

One family consisted of Butham Govindu, Srinivasarao and Durgarao, while the other family consisted of Gandham Nageswararao, Marayya and Pagidi. On April 6, Durgarao was shot dead in the jurisdiction of Pedavegi police station in West Godavari district.
He was killed by contract killers hired from Mumbai. Marayya and Pagidi were arrested in the case and subsequently released on bail.

Local police also found that the conspirators and the contract killers Dharamvir, Pratap, Neeraj, Nitin and Sanjay were hired from Delhi. They were paid Rs 8-10 lakh each.

Vijayawada Police Commissioner A V Venkateshwar Rao then contacted Delhi Police’s Special Commissioner (Crime Branch) Taj Hasan.

On October 6, the Crime Branch along with Vijayawada Police arrested Dharamvir, Pratap, Neeraj, Nitin, Satish, Manjeet and Pankaj. Their interrogation revealed that the main conspirator was Sirigiri Chinnasrinivas, who hails from West Godavari district and lives in east Delhi’s Kalyanpuri.

Sirigiri was contracted by Butham Govindu and Srinivasarao. Govindu lives abroad, and paid the contract killers.

“Sirigiri contacted Kalyanpuri-resident Ombir for executing the contract. Ombir along with his accomplices Pankaj, Satish and Manjeet planned the murder with Sirigiri,” Yadav added. Ombir and Sanjay are yet to be arrested.

On September 22, they reached Eluru by train and stayed at Royal Hampi Lodge in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district.

After the killings, they fled to Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and finally returned to Delhi.