The Hindu : Front Page : Police too cool to Khammam bloodbath

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 23, 2005

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Front Page

Police too cool to Khammam bloodbath

Special Correspondent

Senior officers deplore the attitude of the ground-level staff

HYDERABAD : Senior police officers here were clearly upset with the `take it easy' approach of their ground-level staff in handling the butchery by a killer gang which claimed six lives at Rudrakshapalli village, near Sattupalli in Khammam district, on Wednesday evening.

The police reached the village, which was only 8 km from the sub-divisional headquarters of Sattupalli, more than three hours after the killings by which time the assailants had coolly made good their escape. The exasperated top brass here could get information on the killings only in bits and pieces by Thursday evening. What frustrated them even more was their inability to reach local officers on the phone.

The only solace the police had was the action taken against the prime accused, Thatiparthy Rama Rao, in the past. Sattupalli MLA Jalagam Venkata Rao had constantly been requesting the police to apprehend him. Rama Rao was indeed arrested and lodged in jail for 40 days.

He secured bail a few days ago and straightaway planned the operation. He also visited the village once for intelligence gathering, the police said.

It was also said that five of the six slain persons, including a woman, were attacked intentionally.

Sniping spree

Khammam Staff Reporter adds : The lightning attack by Rama Rao, a dreaded dacoit of the same village, and his associates at 7.15 p.m. caught the police flat-footed despite the fact that the revenge raid was expected. On a hot chase for the killers of his brother, Nageswara Rao, Rama Rao and others went on a sniping spree and hacking indiscriminately unsuspecting members of the public in the streets and houses.

The orgy left the residents of the otherwise peaceful village dazed and shocked.

The slain included village head and Congress supporter Oggu Prasad Reddy alias Thupaki Reddy, who was the dacoit's prime target, and his father Krishna Reddy. People ran away from their houses crying for help. Many of those who ventured to face the gang lost their hands or legs.

The gang struck at two more places after the murderous attack and took away property worth Rs. 1 lakh.

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