MLA Gottipati Ravi Kumar’s Followers Held For Double Murder

Ongole: Police on Saturday arrested 14 people in connection with the twin murders of TDP workers in Vemavaram village of Ballikuruva mandal on May 19.

Addressing the media Guntur range IG N Sanjay said, all the 14 arrested are followers of TDP MLA Gottipati Ravi Kumar. Search operations are underway to nab another two accomplices in the double murder, he said. It may be recalled that two TDP workers - Gorantla Anjaiah and Vegineni Ramakoteshwara Rao - were brutally murdered on the night of May 19 in Vemavaram village.

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The prime accused in the murders was identified as Malempati Venkateshwarulu who was also an accused in the 1989 murder of Sambaiah, the IG said. Police also recovered the knives, swords, chilli powder, a car and three bikes used in the deadly assault.

Police Communication Failure

IG N Sanjay acknowledged failure in intelligence gathering and communication in the police department. He said a probationary SI was posted at Ballikuruva who was inexperienced in communicating information to his superiors immediately after the murder. "Also, the intelligence gathering by the Special Branch (SB) was sorely inadequate. There is a need to strengthen intelligence apparatus in the mandal," he said.