metro india news  I hyderabad

Seven persons were arrested in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district of Telangana in connection with the murder of a man, who had filed a complaint against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and others alleging corruption in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project, police said on Sunday.

Based on investigation so far, police said N Rajalingamurthy (50), was stabbed to death over a land dispute with the accused, on February 19 when he was going on a bike in Jayashankar Bhupalpally town. The Rajalingamurthy had a dispute with the accused over an acre of land and both sides approached a court, Superintendent of Police Kiran Khare told media persons.

Based on credible information, police apprehended seven accused on Saturday evening (February 22) 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, a release from the police said.

Three other accused are absconding in the case, including a former municipal vice-chairman, who is associated with the BRS, police said, adding special teams have been deployed to search for the absconding accused. Four people were involved in the stabbing and murder of Rajalingamurthy while six others including the former municipal vice-chairman are accused of conspiracy in the case, police said.

The ex-municipal vice-chairman, also had a property dispute and political rivalry with the deceased, they said. According to police, when Rajalingamurthy was going on his motorcycle, the accused blocked his path, threw chili powder into his eyes, and launched a brutal attack. They attacked him with the knives and iron rod and stabbed him in the stomach. 

Due to severe injuries, Rajalingamurthy died on the spot. After confirming his death, they fled the scene on motorcycles, police said. Rajalingamurthy’s wife, a former councilor of Bhupalpally Municipality, in a complaint to police said the accused persons killed her husband over a land dispute and based on the complaint, a case was registered.

Rajalingamurthy had earlier filed a private complaint in October 2023 in a court seeking registration of an FIR against BRS President Chandrasekhar Rao 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.

KCR and his nephew and former minister T Harish Rao subsequently approached the Telangana High Court, which in December last year suspended an order passed by the principal district sessions judge in Jayashankar Bhupalpally allowing a petition against them.