Gautami murder case: Police top brass in soup

ELURU: The State government has taken a serious view of the police officials who had closed a case related to the murder of a woman in January at Palacole in West Godavari district by investigating into it as a road accident. It may be recalled that Dangeti Sri Gautami of Narsapuram was killed and her sister Pavani was seriously injured when a car hit their bike at Digamarru village near Palacole town in West Godavari district. Palacole police registered the case as a road accident.

Gautami succumbed to injuries in the government hospital at Palacole and her sister Pavani, who was admitted to the hospital, recovered after two days. Even though Pavani and her mother Anantalakshmi alleged conspiracy against Gautami by TDP men, the police did not care and closed the case as a road accident.

However, acting on a complaint lodged by Pavani, the CID police investigated the matter and confirmed that Gautami’s death was not caused due to a car accident but it was a clear case of murder. They confirmed that TDP leaders Sajja Satyanarayaa Murthy (Bujji), Bollampalli Ramesh, ZPTC member Balam Pratap and another person Balam Andrew conspired to kill Gautami by mowing her down with a car and tried to make it look like a case of road accident. 

The Palacole police, following the CID report, woke up and altered the road accident case as a murder case and arrested prime accused Sajja Bujji, ZPTC member Balam Pratap, Bollampalli Ramesh and Balam Andrew. Sajja Bujji, an already married,  entered into wedlock with Gautami. Bujji decided to eliminate her after she wanted their marriage made public and his first wife raising her objection to his second marriage. After CID verification of the call data, the Palacole police arrested the four accused.