Telangana: Three held in murder of lawyer couple

Three people were arrested in the murder of lawyer couple that took place on Wednesday afternoon. The trio -- Kunta Srinivas (44), Ch Chinranjeevi (35) and A Kumar (44) were arrested by the police at Wamkindi and Chandrapur on the Telangana-Maharashtra border on Thursday morning.

Addressing a press meet at Ramagundam, IG (North Zone) Y Nagi Reddy said that the previous enmity between the lawyer Vamana Rao and Srinivas on a dispute over new management committee of Sri Rama Swamy and Gopal Swamy temple ensued to the killing of the couple. Srinivas sought revenge against Vamana Rao for approaching the police and the court frequently against him.

Srinivas decided to get rid of Vamana Rao and his associate Bittu Srinu agreed to help him. On learning the couple had come to Mathani court, Srinivas decided to kill him while on their return journey to Hyderabad. Bittu Srinu lent his car to A Kumar who provided information about the lawyer's movements. Meanwhile, Srinivas who was waiting at Manthani crossroads noticed the lawyer's car and stopped his vehicle and smashed the windscreen.

Vamana Rao's driver was scared and ran away and later the accused Srinivas pulled the lawyer out of the car and attacked him. At the same time, Rao's wife Nagamani was attacked by Chiranjeevi.

Bothe Chiranjeevi and Srinivas fled the spot and threw their knives in Sundilla barrage. They later escaped to the state border before changing their clothes.

The IG said that Chiranjeevi helped Srinivas after the latter had helped him when his family was infected with coronavirus. The police said that the prime accused in the murder was also indulged in a case of burning a bus.