ELURU: Police, who are investigating into the rape and murder of a woman at Buddhist caves in Guntupalli of West Godavari district on February 24, have discovered some chilling facts about the crimes committed by the four accused. They were involved in 32 such cases, of which only seven were reported, since December 2017. In the cases that were reported, three men and one woman were murdered by them, the police found out.

For the investigators, the first clue was that the four-member gang moved on bicycles, which is very unlikely as it is usually the stolen mobile phones that lead police to the suspects. 

The accused after stealing the victims’ mobile phones damaged and discarded them in a two-kilometre radius of the crime scene, the police said.

On February 24, the 20-year-old woman was found dead with her boyfriend, Naveen, severely injured in the restricted area of the Buddhist caves that is guarded by security guards. Preliminary investigation revealed that the woman was sexually assaulted and valuables of both the victims were robbed.

“After enquiring with the security guards, sheep graziers and locals living in the foothills of Guntupalli, we came to know that two-three persons were moving in the village on two bicycles for two-three days before the killing. One of them had a rifle used to hunt animals. This made us suspect that some hunters from nearby areas might be involved in the crime,’’ West Godavari Superintendent of Police Ravi Prakash said.

Six teams were formed, which searched nearby areas in search of habitual hunters. “We came to know that there were nearly 20-30 people in the surrounding areas of Kamavarapukota and Bhimadole who matched the killers’ profiles. After questioning every one of them, some told us that a few men from Krishna district had come to their village to hunt animals,’’ the SP explained.

The police then narrowed down on those who were employed as watchmen to guard mangroves and fish ponds. “Based on the description given by the locals and security personnel that the suspects were lean with dark complexions, we searched areas near Krishna district too and finally nabbed the prime accused, Potluri Ankama Rao alias Raju of Mailavaram mandal in Krishna district.”

The police’s suspicion grew when Raju tried to escape from them. During investigation, Raju disclosed to the cops the whereabouts of his accomplices–Tupakula Somaiah and Tupakula Gangaiah of Dwaraka Tirumala mandal (West Godavari) and Manikula Nagaraju of Agiripalli (Krishna)– who were also caught.
“During our investigation, some shocking facts came to light. The gang was involved in 32 such cases and, of them, only seven were reported.

In these cases, the gang had killed three men and a woman, the SP added. Two unsolved cases against them were registered in Nuzvid, and one each in Ibrahimpatnam, Vissanappet, Madira (Khammam, Telangana) and Kamavarapukota (West Godavari).

Ravi Prakash said Raju worked as a security guard at a mango orchard at Vadlamanu and he often saw young lovers of 20-25 age group visiting the premises and indulging in sexual activities.

“Raju committed his first offence in December 2017 when he attacked a couple and sexually assaulted the girl. However, the case was not reported with the police, which gave him the courage to commit more offences,” the SP added.

In his later offences, Raju’s cousins Somaiah and Gangaiah, and friend Nagaraju helped him. “They targeted 20-25-year-old girls and conducted recce of places where these lovers came,’’ the police said.

Woman was sexually assaulted, friend beaten

Investigators’ first clue, which led them to catch the four accused in the case, was that the suspects moved on bicycles. Preliminary investigation revealed that the 20-year-old woman was sexually assaulted and her valuables, as well as her friend’s, were robbed