'Planned murder': Telangana Police solve mystery behind death of writer

Telangana Police have solved the mystery behind the death of writer and YouTuber Boggula Srinivas with the arrest of his friend, who allegedly hired contract killers to eliminate him and push the car with the victim’s body into a reservoir to make it look like an accident.

The body of Srinivas, 48, was found in a car which had plunged into Palair reservoir in Khammam district on February 14. Some fishermen had told police that the person driving the vehicle jumped out and fled the scene at the time of the accident.

Police retrieved the vehicle and noticed injuries on the victim’s head. The next day, he was identified as Srinivas.

A native of Allur village of Nandikotkur mandal of Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh, Srinivas became popular in 2014 after publishing a book titled "Pawan Kalyan Hatao-Politics Bachao".

He had allegedly received death threats at the time of the book’s release.

Police registered a case after the deceased’s family raised suspicion about the cause of his death.

After a week, police achieved a breakthrough in the case with the arrest of Venu Madhava Reddy and three contract killers.

Khammam rural police on Sunday revealed the details of the case before media. Assistant Commissioner of Police Tirupati Reddy said differences over financial transactions between Srinivas and Madhva Reddy led to the murder.

Madhava Reddy had hired P. Koteswara Rao, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez, and Azmat Ali, all residents of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, to kill Srinivas.

Srinivas was killed near Narketpally in Nalgonda while he was travelling in a car to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

To hide their crime and also to mislead the police, the accused pushed the car with the victim’s body into Palair reservoir to make it look like an accident.

According to police, Srinivas had given permission to Madhava Reddy to use his GST account for certain transactions. As Srinivas had received notice from authorities in connection with GST dues, he was demanding that Madhava Reddy make a cash payment as per their agreement.

When Srinivas mounted pressure on Madhava Reddy for the payment, the latter hatched a plot to eliminate him and hired three killers.