The police have altered the case of suspicious deaths into murder case in which four persons charred to death in Veerisettivarigudem village in Kamavarapukota mandal in West Godavari in the early hours of Thursday.
It may be recalled that Ketha Lakshmi, her daughters Annapurneswari and Lavanya along with her nephew Manikanta burnt alive in their house. Sister-in-law of Lakshmi, Pitani Rangamma, sustained severe burns and her condition is said to be critical.
In her declaration in hospital, Pitani Rangamma stated that she had observed someone poured petrol from windows and lit it when the fire broke out. She said that flames engulfed the inmates due to the petrol.
She alleged that Nageswara Rao, his son Nagaraju and another person Kadali Satyanarayana are behind the incident.
Chintalapudi Inspector Rajesh said that they have altered suspicious death (Section 174 IPC) into murder case under Sections 302, 436, 120 (B) read with IPC Section 34 and registered a case against the three accused and some other persons. The police have collected important evidences against the husband of Lakshmi, Ketha Nageswara Rao, his first wife’s son Nagaraju and his co-brother’s son Satyanarayana. The Inspector said that they have sent parts of the bodies to forensic lab for further investigation.
Property dispute
He said that a son and two daughters of Nageswara Rao from his first wife have rivalry with Ketha Lakshmi, who was second wife of accused Nageswara Rao. He said that the children of the first wife did have also fears that the daughter of Lakshmi will get some portion of their property.
He said that Nageswara Rao has also doubts on fidelity of Lakshmi and several others might have helped the accused in this case.
According sources, Ketha Nagswara Rao, who has another extra-marital relationship with a woman at Ramannagudem, had been demanding Lakshmi to give some cash or obtain Dwcra loan and give it to that woman.
Lakshmi was living in Veerisettivarigudem whereas Nageswara Rao is living in Ramannagudem. It came to know that Nageswara Rao gave cash, house and car to Lakshmi before parting with her. Lakshmi’s brother, Pitani Srinu is working in Dubai where as his wife Rangamma staying at Lakshmi’s house.