Gun culture back in Vijayawada, man shot dead by unknown persons

Vijayawada: A man was shot dead by unknown assailants in Vijayawada city on the night of 10 October. The victim, Mahesh, was an employee at the city police commissioner’s office.

According to the police, Mahesh and some friends were near a bar in the Bypass Road area of Vijayawada when the assailants, who were on a scooter, fired five rounds of bullets at Mahesh and fled the spot. One of the bullets pierced his chest and neck killing him on the spot. Hari, who was with Mahesh, also sustained bullet injuries and was admitted to a hospital. The police said it was a planned murder.

The Vijayawada police commissioner, Bathina Srinivasulu, has formed special teams to identify and arrest the accused persons.

The police suspect that the assailants were aware of Mahesh’s movements and might have recced the area before executing their plan. While they are yet to ascertain the exact reasons for the murder, sources in the police department said Mahesh's real estate transactions or an extra-marital affair could be the motive behind the murder.

However, Mahesh’s mother and sister said he was not involved in any real estate transactions. They said that Mahesh loved a girl and both their families had agreed to their marriage. The victim's family demanded stringent punishment for the murderers.

The police, meanwhile, have collected CCTV footage from the bar and nabbed some suspects. They suspect the role of a woman in the murder case. The culprits, who had fled the spot in a car, had abandoned the vehicle near Mustabad road in the outskirts of the city.