The switch of the elevator proved to be the clue, for nabbing the accused in the double murder case. According to DCP M. Ravi Prakash, the accused Durga Venkata Vara Prasad alias Venkat, shut the elevator switch before killing Ch. Punnyavati and her granddaughter Sai Chandrika. The idea was that no one could use the lift and he would be alerted if some one tried to come up using the staircase.
No enemies
According to the DCP, once the police reached the scene of the crime, and after questioning the family members and neighbours it was clear that the family did not have any enemies or property dispute.
“We then focused on the workers who were engaged in the renovation of the house. Almost all of them gave us convincing answers.
It was clear that the crime was committed by someone known to the family or by some gang which would have done a recce of the house. It was understood that the time and date was picked as no male members were around,” he said.
“While piecing up the clues, we realised that the elevator was switched off. On questioning the family members we were told that Venkat, the salesman from the elevator company, was a regular visitor and even on that day he had called up all the male members on some pretext to ascertain their whereabouts and expected time of return. That ticked our mind,” he said.
Weird answers
Venkat was picked up from his residence and on initial questioning gave weird answers and on further interrogation revealed the whole story and how and why he had committed the crime, said Mr. Ravi Prakash.
According to the police, Venkat hails from Vizianagaram district and moved to the city in 2008 in search of livelihood. He initially worked for a fire system company and was thrown out for misappropriating about Rs.80,000. He later joined the private elevator supply and service company.
