Murder of Rajalinga Murthy: 7 held in Jayashankar Bhupalpally; land dispute cited as motive

Hyderabad: Jayashankar Bhupalpally police arrested seven persons in connection with the murder of activist Rajalinga Murthy, who had filed a complaint against former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and others alleging corruption in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.

The arrested persons were identified as Renikuntala Sanjeev, Pingili Semanth, More Kumar, Kothuri Kiran, Renikuntla Komuraiah, Dasarapu Krishna and Renikuntala Sambaiah. Three other accused Kotha Hari Babu, Pulla Naresh and Pulla Suresh are absconding. The arrested were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court (JFCM) at Bhupalpally for judicial custody.

Weapons seized

Addressing a press conference at his office on Sunday, Jayashankar Bhupalpally SP Kiran Kare said that according to the police investigation so far, on February 19, N Rajalinga Murthy (50) was fatally stabbed over a land dispute while riding a bike in Jayashankar Bhupalpally town. Rajalinga Murthy was in a disagreement with the accused over an acre of land and both sides approached a court, he said.

Based on credible information, police apprehended the seven on February 22 evening and interrogated them. They confessed to the crime and led the police to the weapons used, including the knives, the iron rod, mobile phones and motorcycles, the SP said.

One of the accused is associated with BRS, said police

Three other accused are absconding in the case, including a former municipal vice-chairman, who was associated with the BRS, he said, and added that special teams have been deployed to search for the absconding accused.

Elaborating further, Kiran Kare said that four people were involved in the stabbing and murder of Rajalinga Murthy while six others including the former municipal vice-chairman are accused of conspiracy in the case. The former municipal vice-chairman also had a property dispute and political rivalry with the deceased, he said.

The SP said that when Rajalinga Murthy was going on his motorcycle, the accused blocked his path, threw chilli powder into his eyes and launched a brutal attack. They attacked him with knives and an iron rod and stabbed him in the stomach. Due to severe injuries, Rajalinga Murthy died on the spot. After confirming his death, they fled the scene on motorcycles, he said.

Rajalinga Murthy’s wife, a former councillor of Bhupalpally Municipality, in a complaint to the police, said the accused persons killed her husband over a land dispute and based on the complaint, a case was registered.

Who is Rajalinga Murthy?

Rajalingamurthy had filed a private complaint in October 2023 in a court seeking registration of an FIR against BRS president KCR and others after the sinking of some piers of the Medigadda barrage, part of Kaleshwaram irrigation project, alleging irregularities in the construction of the project.