Theatre manager beaten to death over parking fee hike

A 68-year old manager of a theatre was beaten to death in Vikarabad town late on Sunday night.

The deceased, identified as Y Raghavendra Rao, a resident of Alampally village in Vikarabad district was repeatedly beaten by a customer over an argument regarding the increase of parking fee by Rs 10.

The accused, Rajavardhan Reddy, a local contractor from Motibagh Colony in the town on Sunday got drunk and argued with the parking lot attendants of the Cinemax Theatre when they asked him to pay Rs 30 as parking fee for his car.

The incident took place at 10 pm as the last show of a Telugu film was to be screened at the theatre.

Rajavardhan Reddy questioning the increase in parking fee, refused to pay the fee. Hearing the commotion, the theatre manager, tried to intervene in the matter and pacify the situation.

However, the accused threw blows at the manager repeatedly resulting him collapsing on the spot. He was immediately shifted to the government hospital in Vikarabad but he died a few minutes later due to severe chest pains.

A case has been registered against the accused under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.