TRS suspends Raghavender Rao booked for abetting Kothagudem family's suicide

Hyderabad: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has suspended Vanama Raghavender Rao alias Raghava from the party with immediate effect after he was accused of abetting the suicide of a family in Kothagudem recently.

TRS general secretary Palla Rajeshwar Reddy issued orders suspending Raghava, the son of party MLA Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, following directions from party supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.

It may be recalled that the victim, M. Ramakrishna, set himself and his wife Srilakshmi and his minor daughters Sahitya and Sahita on fire on 3 January at his house. In a short video, Ramakrishna alleged that Raghavendra Rao had ordered him to come to Hyderabad with his wife. "He told me this was the only way to solve my problems," Ramakrishna said in his last video that was discovered on his phone by the police on 5 January.

The Kothagudem police filed a case the same day and the superintendent of police, Sunil Datt, said the accused in the case was on the run and that the police would arrest him.

Shortly after Ramakrishna set himself ablaze, the police had found a suicide note naming Raghavendra Rao. The victim had also left behind a short video on his phone which the police procured from his car.

In the video, Ramakrishna explains that Raghavendra asked him to bring his wife to him. He said he was going to take the drastic step in fear of what Raghavendra would do to him and his family. "Raghavendra ordered me to bring my wife, without the kids, and come to Hyderabad. Then, I will solve your issue, he said," Ramakrishna said in the video.

Ramakrishna's second daughter, who had received 80 per cent burns and was admitted to the hospital, passed away on Thursday.

Mr. Datt said for several months, Ramakrishna had been suffering financially and also had a property dispute with his mother and sister. "When he took the property dispute case to Raghavendra, the dispute was settled. However, Ramakrishna later felt that the verdict was unfair and he spoke up. That's where the problems began between the two," he said.

Ramakrishna said Raghavendra had threatened him saying he would ensure that he didn't get even a single penny from the assets if he did not send his wife to him.

Kothagudem assistant superintendent of police Rohit Raj said two other cases under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 307 (attempt to murder) have been filed against Raghavendra Rao in the last two years in Palvoncha.