Daijiworld Media Network - Vijayawada
Vijayawada, Jun 29: Two head constables allegedly linked to the custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna surrendered before the police on Monday, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the case that has triggered widespread concern in Andhra Pradesh.
Head constables Ashok and Nani, both attached to the Krishnalanka Police Station, surrendered at the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Suryaraopet. The duo had reportedly been absconding since the arrest of the station's suspended Circle Inspector and Station House Officer (SHO), S.S.V.V. Nagaraju.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the case, had identified the two officers as key aides of the suspended SHO during the alleged illegal detention and subsequent custodial death of Sai Krishna.
Nagaraju was arrested by the SIT on June 23 and was remanded to judicial custody by a local court the following day until July 8.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court adjourned to Tuesday the hearing on a habeas corpus petition filed by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, seeking justice in the case. The SIT is understood to have submitted a preliminary status report to the court outlining the progress of the investigation and the actions taken so far.
The investigation is centred on allegations of wrongful confinement, custodial murder and destruction of evidence. A criminal case was registered on June 19 under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint filed by the victim's mother, who alleged that her son was brutally assaulted and killed while in police custody.
During earlier court proceedings, the SIT informed the lower court that Sai Krishna had succumbed to injuries allegedly inflicted while in custody. Investigators also stated that CCTV footage from the police station had been deliberately erased in an attempt to destroy crucial evidence.
According to the SIT, Sai Krishna, against whom several criminal cases and non-bailable warrants were pending, was picked up by police from Markapuram on May 6 and brought to Krishnalanka Police Station, where he was allegedly kept in illegal detention before going missing.
Investigators further alleged that after his death, efforts were made to conceal the crime by transporting the body to an undisclosed location. The SIT told the court that attempts were allegedly made to either bury or burn the body, and efforts are continuing to determine where the remains were disposed of.
The Special Investigation Team is headed by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash. The panel also includes West Godavari Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi, Alluri Sitharama Raju district Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar, while Bapatla Additional Superintendent of Police L. Sudhakar is serving as the investigating officer.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities expected to question the surrendered head constables as they attempt to piece together the sequence of events surrounding the alleged custodial death and the suspected cover-up.